Reflected Scars
by JadeTiger
Summary: Naruto is finding himself bruised and cut after horrifying nightmares. After a while he can’t determine if it’s his dreams, or memories from the Nine Tails. Yaoi SasukeNaruto Shonenai
1. Dream 1

Ok, so here's how it goes. There's some stuff I'm going to explain first off....  
  
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING!!!  
  
There! Now I said that let me explain. Ever get one of those ideas in your head and you just can't seem to get rid of it no matter what you do? Well this is mine. I have a rough story line, no grammar skills, and to most who read what I write... They don't believe that English is my first language.*sigh*  
  
I've never written a Yaoi before (but I read plenty). I have no idea how, or what the F*&# I'm going to do for chapter 2!! (ahh something will come up) and as far as I know my beta reader is going to quit on me at some point.(not forever, just for the really gory parts.( Hehehehe I know I'm writing good when she can't read it ;P))  
  
BIG thanks to my beta reader Tuskafel! You are the best!! *glomps!*  
  
Another thanks to Meag! (Who is not a fan of any anime, but came up with the name for this fic.)  
  
WARNING: This fic is a gory horror. Cruelty to animals is involved even though I would slit my own writs before I would hurt another creature.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto would I be writing a fan fic about it? Come now people!  
  
Chapter 1,  
  
Demon Dream's  
  
The wire bit savagely into his back leg causing it to bleed again. But its not like it mattered anyhow, he had lost feeling in it a day ago. He tilted his head back again and tried to reach the wire with his snout, but it was no use. He was too weak from lack of food and water. The hours seemed to drag on forever, as his body began to fail him. It wouldn't be much longer now and it would all be over. He lay his body down as best he could and watched the sunrise again through the trees. It was going to be another painfully hot day with no shade, food or water... Maybe... Maybe today he would be able to die. It would be better than this torture.  
  
He lay and listened to the world around him. Creatures scampered just out of his reach, free to go about their daily routine. So wonderful to watch, and so painful to be unable to take part in it. The sun rose higher and higher into to blue sky. The temperature began to rise in the clearing where he was trapped.  
  
Suddenly the creatures scampered out of sight and everything went quiet. He lay there listening. Then he heard it. A voice, coming closer. He pulled frantically at the wire around his leg, but it held firm, preventing him from seeking a hiding space. Finally two figures emerged from the underbrush.  
  
"Hey look at that!" One of them exclaimed. It moved closer, towering over him. The fox snarled back up at the figure. "Looks like its been here a few days now. Still got some kick left in it I see."  
  
The figure reached behind itself and pulled out an object of some sort. He placed it down in front of himself and opened it. The fox hissed madly.  
  
"Here." It said holding something closer to the cornered fox. He hissed, and then sniffed the air. Meat! He looked at the dark, golden color of the chicken wing dangling inches away... It smelled so good.  
  
"It's ok... I won't hurt you..."  
  
His stomach growled almost as loud as he hissed. He didn't want to get any closer to the large figure... But... He inched forward toward the wonderful meat. So close, just another inch or two. He licked his lips as his mouth watered in anticipation. He reached out with his snout...  
  
"HA!" The chicken wing was ripped out of reach and his jaws clamped on thin air. "Stupid animal," it said munching on the chicken wing.  
  
"If you're finished with the rat, can we go now? I want to be back before lunch," the second figure had done nothing but stand there and smirk the whole time. His fat gut hung out over his belt, stretching his shirt and causing the buttons to strain and pull in an effort to keep it all in.  
  
"Fine, fine," the food tormentor said licking his fat fingers. He stood up and turned from the fox, then suddenly swung round and kicked it as hard as he could. Its body spun and twisted in the air before the wire fetched up and prevented him from tumbling to the ground. There was a bone chilling snap and a pop sound. He screamed in pain as he tried to right himself, but the wire was too tight and his leg was now dislocated and broken. He hung there helpless as the two walked off back into the bush, laughing. The fox shut its eyes as the sun rose higher, blinding him.  
  
That night, deep inside the heart of the fox, its life sparked and went out; sending everything into deep darkness.  
  
~*~  
  
Naruto's eyes opened and he gazed at the ceiling. Its white plaster cracks coming into focus after a few minutes of blinking. He sat up and looked out the window at the still dark sky. The alarm clock on the bedside table glowed the early time of about three fifteen am. Still another three hours before he was supposed to get up and go meet his team for training.  
  
He could lie back down and just wait till then, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to have that dream again. It was the first time in a long time he had had a dream that seemed so real. He shook his head and threw off the covers. Placed his feet on the cold floor and winced. His ankle hurt...  
  
end chapter one dream 1 


	2. Mission One

Authors blurb:  
  
Man you have no idea what a few reviews can do for your ego! That first chapter was only 750 words, and I got 12 reviews from that! *squeals!* Thank you so much for taking the time to post something! You all rock!  
  
Ahh corrupting today's youth! I'll have to give my friend Tuskafel a big hand for doing such a good job at getting so many young kids into anime! * She had to do a website for an elementary school and was working with kids from grade 3 to 6. Hehehe* And I'll have to give me a pat on the back as well! I think I'm making progress with my oldest friend Meag! *who I've known sense grade 3* I got her onto FF.Net and reading my fic! *only took me 11 years to convince her...*sigh*...*  
  
Well before I throw the chapter at you here is more on the PLOT!  
  
Since the Nine Tails has 9 tails, each will represent a horrific death it experienced. That first dream was nothing compared to what's to come.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Mission Start  
  
The memory of that night's dream sent chills down his spine, but he just shook it off as a coincidence. He must have tangled his leg in the bed sheets and had the dream from that. Either way, he was dressed and at the bridge waiting for the rest of his team, watching the sun rise.  
  
Sasuke was the first one to arrive, about an hour after daybreak, and was a little surprised to see Naruto there before him. He stopped and looked down at the blond sitting with his back to the bridge post. Naruto was always on time, but never early.  
  
"Morning Sasuke! Man, are you always here so early?" Naruto's cheery voice sounded odd in the still morning air.  
  
"Hn..." was his answer as he sat down across from Naruto, leaning against the other bridge post. "Why are you here so early?" Naruto grinned.  
  
"Kakashi said that we're going to be doing some new training today, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't late. I got up early and was going to have pork ramen for breakfast, but then I thought it wasn't really a breakfast dish to have, so I had vegetarian ramen instead. Then I went for a walk and- "  
  
Sasuke leaned his head back against the wooden post and closed his eyes. It was too early to listen to this cheery-energy filled rant about nothing. He had been up most of the night cleaning his house. Something that he was disappointed to say, he hadn't done in a long time. The dust bunnies under the bed had mutated to dust cows and refused to come out with just a broom. Sasuke had had to move the bed, sweep the floor, vacuum and then get on his hands and knees to scrub the glue like substance off the wood. And that was only under the bed! He still needed to clean the bathroom, kitchen, hallway and the guest room.  
  
He groaned silently to himself. He just wanted to do what he did every morning at the bridge. Sit quietly and listen to the water and the birds singing. Those early morning sounds that he enjoyed listening to, ALONE!  
  
But his half meditation kept getting interrupted by the odd word that tumbled out of the senseless chatter form the blundering blond. Finally his sleep-weary patience cracked and he turned on Naruto.  
  
"Can you stop talking? I don't want to hear it!" he snapped a little harsher then he had intended, but it got what he wanted.  
  
Naruto promptly shut his mouth and stared at Sasuke. He grunted, then hissed quietly, "What side of the bed did you fall off this morning?"  
  
Sasuke shot a quick glare at him before turning to look down at the water under the bridge. This was going to be a long day....  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sakura arrived a little after that, forcing Sasuke to sit there, listening to her and Naruto bicker and argue for hours before Kakashi finally showed up.  
  
"Sorry I'm later. I decided to take a short cut, but I guess it wasn't that short after all." He said in his normal mundane tone.  
  
"YOU'RE LATE!" both Naruto and Sakura yelled up at him.  
  
"Don't be mad. I got you all a new mission, and that means we're going on a little trip." Kakashi jumped down from the top of the wooden arch and landed softly.  
  
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked before Naruto could.  
  
"We have to take this scroll to another village in the leaf country. It's about a three day walk there and back, so pack light, but pack right. Meet back here in one hour." And with that he pulled out a new copy of 'Come, Come Paradise', rested himself against the post Naruto was formally holding up and ignored the rest of the world.  
  
His three students dispersed in different directions heading for home.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sakura sighed and walked on. The day's walk had been long and tiring, but Naruto bounced around them in circles full of energy. 'Doesn't he ever get tired?' She thought as he nearly tripped over his own feet again.  
  
"Hey! Sakura-chan! Wanna got out with me when we get back?" He asked jumping to her side and smiling brightly.  
  
"Never baka!" She answered smacking him on the head, before jogging to catch up to Kakashi and Sasuke.  
  
Naruto frowned and hurried to catch up with the rest of him team. "Ya didn't have to hit me ya know!" He replied rubbing the growing bump on his head.  
  
"Yes I did! Or it'll never get through that thick skull of yours!"  
  
The sun was starting to dance on the tree tops as the day came to an end. The first stars began to appear on the dark blue horizon. Small animals scampered to and fro in the forest around them, seeking shelter from the night's predators. An owl hooted somewhere, sounding the start of the night hunting.  
  
Kakashi stopped suddenly, causing Sakura and Naruto to bump into him. He turned and gave them a lazy glare. They both jumped back out of reach.  
  
"Looks like this is as far as we go for today. Time to set up camp."  
  
They found a small grassy opening off the road and began to get ready for the night. Sasuke volunteered to get the firewood and before anyone could protest, disappeared into the woods without a sound, leaving Sakura and Naruto to set up camp. Kakashi lit two lanterns and hung them in the trees to provide light till he returned. They cleared the ground of sticks and rocks, and were unfolding their sleeping rolls when Sasuke returned with an armload of wood. He tossed it down and made a small fire.  
  
The light from the fire lit the grassy clearing, making the shadows of the trees dance to the silent song of the night. He crawled into his sleeping roll and gazed up at the stars that now appeared one after another in the velvet sky. Finally able to drown out his still bickering companions, he drifted off to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
He was awake. He had no idea why he was awake, but there he lay. His hand moved, gripping the knife hidden next to his leg. His senses went on high alert as he listened and tried to determine what was hiding in the dark. The wind rustled the tree leaves, as the sounds of the night continued without pause. Crickets chirped as the ashes in the fire pit glowed silently. There was no strange chakra within the reach of his senses, and the night appeared undisturbed. Deciding it was nothing he slid the knife back into its place and relaxed.  
  
He opened his eyes and gazed up. The sky sparkled above with the light of a million stars, like a shining ribbon twisted among the black treetops of the forest. It was truly breathtaking.  
  
Movement in the corner of his eye made him grab the knife again. He listened to the rustle of fabric and watched as a form sat up next to him. His shape silhouetted against the star sparkled sky. From the movement alone he could tell it was Naruto. Even when he tried to be quiet he could not hide the fact that he was indeed, the loudest ninja ever. `But why is he awake?` The faint glow from the fire told him that it hadn't been more than a few hours since he fell asleep, and the blond had still been awake then.  
  
Sasuke watched silently as the blond sat and seemed to examine his foot in the dark. He heard a low curse escape his lips, and after a few minutes he stopped and looked around. Sasuke closed his eyes as Naruto gaze turned toward him. He waited for a moment for him to look on, then opened his eyes.  
  
Naruto just sat there staring ahead, out into the darkness. Sasuke watched him in silence for what seemed like hours before drifting back into sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Naruto woke up and blinked, then rolled over and flinched. He had had the same dream as the night before and his ankle hurt again. He sat up and cursed softly as he examined his foot, wishing he had spent a few more minutes clearing the ground of rocks before making his bed. The hard ground had done nothing to help the slight sprain he got from the bed sheets the night before. He rubbed it for a few minutes till the pain eased and he could rotate it.  
  
Thinking that he might have been too loud, he looked around the clearing. His eyes drifted over the dying embers of the fire. Sakura and Sasuke lay still sleeping soundly to his right. `Good. ` He hadn't woken them up. He looked at the glowing sky that seemed so out of place to him among the black trees. He sat and stared out into the darkness, waiting for the sun to rise.  
  
End chapter 2 Mission Start 


	3. Victorian Village

This took forever to upload!  
  
Answers to Review questions!  
  
Yes this is going to be a Naruto/Sasuke / Sasuke/Naruto. And it is hard to do while trying to keep them in character.  
  
Yes there is going to be shounen_ai. But not till later. (2 more chapters ;)  
  
Yes this is going to get better. (Hey! All I thought of was the dreams! I'm slow at writing in filler.)  
  
Yes I do plan to finish this story, unlike my other works.  
  
Yes chapter will be getting longer very soon. Dreams are expected to be a few pages in themselfs.  
  
About the healing powers he has: In the manga, Naruto says, "No matter what the injury a good nights sleep is all I need!" Problem is that Naruto isn't getting a good night's sleep. He's hardly getting any, and when he does sleep is when he is injured. Don't worry it will be explained as things go on. Can't give everything away at once without making you think first! ;)  
  
More on the plot:  
  
As I said, this fic is evolving as I type it. In fact this is about the 4th version of this chapter, and I still don't like it! I don't even know where it came from! It kinda just wrote itself. Mostly a setup for the next few chapters. I'm sure you're gonna like those. More of everyone's fav pairing!   
  
I'm trying to write it so at least one chapter is devoted to a character. For example, in the second chapter there was a lot more of Sasuke's thoughts then anyone else's. This one its Sakura and Kakashi's. I'm just doing this to explore more of their characters. I feel that for a fic to be good, even if you don't like a character, its best to put them in character. If that makes sense. 0.o  
  
Chapter 3   
  
Victorian village  
  
Kakashi woke the next morning from his light sleep in a tree above the clearing. Sunlight lightly flickered through the leaves and onto his masked face. A few song birds began their greeting songs, making him smile under the fabric. He scanned the area around the grassy clearing. None of his animal traps had been disturbed, so it looked like it was going to be an 'instant breakfast' morning.  
  
  
  
His eye rested on Naruto who was still awake. His attention was brought to the young ninja hours ago, when he was woken by the whimpering. He watched as the boy twitched and yelped like an animal till he woke up. He had also seen that Sasuke had heard him and was watching him from the dark. There was some rustling around before everything went still Kakashi had waited for him to go to sleep, but the boy just sat there, staring into the night. Sasuke had long since fallen asleep watching his teammate sit there.   
  
`Not like him to be up all night.` He thought as he removed himself from the tree and appeared soundless behind the young ninja.   
  
"You're up early." He said startling Naruto, who jumped.  
  
"O… Oh! Morning Kakashi_sensei! Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Hai hai, that I did. You didn't though." He stated. Naruto shook his head and responded with a smile.  
  
"I didn't clear the ground enough before making my bed."   
  
Kakashi smiled with his one visible eye. "Alright then, sense you're the only other one up at this hour, would you go get some fire wood so we can start breakfast?"   
  
"Hai!" Naruto got out of his bed and wandered off into the trees to look for wood. Kakashi turned and looked down at his other two sleeping students. Sakura lay there unaware of the night's minor event, while Sasuke slept tired from watching and waiting for him teammate to go back to sleep. He shook his head.  
  
"If you think there is something wrong with a teammate then ask them." He said more to himself then them. They were fast asleep. He grabbed the bag with the food and began to set up.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was evening by the time they arrived in the village. The sun had been high in the sky all day without a breath of wind. Kakashi had made them do double_time without a break, to make up for the late start they had the day before. Team 7, despite long hours of training, were tired from the long walk/jog. Sweat clung to their foreheads, matting the wet hair to the skin.   
  
The village was small, but had a warm welcoming feeling about it. The houses were different than that of the Leaf Village. They were painted all different colors, with a different color trim. They were also big. About two or three stories each, with lots of windows and soft, butter colored curtains. Wind chimes hung from the tree branches that stretched out over the road, glistened in the sunlight as they passed.  
  
  
  
Buildings were far apart with freshly mowed front lawns and benches where people sat and watched them walk by. They smiled and waved hello as they passed. The buildings then became smaller and closer together, as they entered the more business part of the town and out of the suburbs. Shops appeared and food stands along the road gave off the aroma of cooked fish and noodles.   
  
"Kakashi_sensei, are you paying for dinner?" Naruto asked hopefully as all three sat down in the cool shade of the ramen stand. They could smell the fresh fragrance from the shops along the street. It was the same as the Konoha Village ramen stands, but it smelled more of ingredients being prepared rather than ramen being served.   
  
"Nope. We're not eating here." He said not bothering to look at them.   
  
"What?! Why not?" Naruto asked looking up from the menu he had been scanning, to see if there was any kind of ramen that he hadn't tired before.   
  
"Because we've got to be heading back now."  
  
"Don't we have to deliver that scroll?" Sakura inquired leaning over to look past her teammates and at her teacher. Usually on missions such as this they were informed about what it was that they were carrying, but Kakashi changed the subject when she had asked.  
  
"Done," Kakashi said handing the man who approached the counter the scroll. The man accepted the scroll with a small bow.   
  
"Hai! Thank you very much. I've been waiting for this recipe for quite some time." The old man replied. "It has been too long my old friend. How have you been these past few years?"  
  
"Recipe?" Naruto questioned.  
  
Sakura watched the blond ninja's eyes light up. Now she knew why Kakashi didn't tell them. `If that baka had known it was a ramen recipe who knows what he would have done!`  
  
Kakashi smiled and started up a conversation with his old friend. "I've been good, same old you know. These are my student; Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Everyone this is Nakamura Hiroshi."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Recipe?"  
  
  
  
The man behind the counter gave a hearty laugh as he examined the unfolded scroll in his hands. "Yes for a special kind of shrimp and spices ramen."  
  
Naruto looked at Kakashi with pleading puppy eyes, his question not needing to be asked.   
  
"We don't have time. We have to get back before the storm hits."  
  
Sasuke turned his gaze to the sky for the fist time that day. It was warm and sunny not a cloud to be seen. Birds chirped and sang in the trees all along the streets of the village. `Must be the calm before the storm.` He thought to himself, wishing he had bothered to listen to the weather report before they had left. Sasuke turned and glanced at his teammate in orange. He wasn't acting as tired as he should be for someone who never slept the night before. He then took into consideration the young ninja's energy level on a regular day. 'He would probably need to be awake a whole week before he showed signs of fatigue.'   
  
"Hai. Isn't that storm going to hit us sometime tonight, Kakashi_sensei?" Sakura asked turning away from the still trying_to_look_heart_broken Naruto who sat pouting.  
  
"If you like we have some extra beds. You are welcome to stay the night and head back in the morning." The cook offered, "We can catch up with one another. Chiharu would be delighted to see you again."  
  
"I don't think we can..." Kakashi started then caught the looks on the team's tired and aggravated faces, making a chill go through his spine. "Looks like I'm out numbered. We would love to stay if it's not too much trouble." He smiled with his one visible eye.  
  
"Not at all."  
  
End chapter 3 Victorian village 


	4. Roof Top Trivia

Author:  
  
FF.NET is out to make me look bad! THIS IS CHAPTER 4!! I know it said Ch4 is already up, but it wasn't. I don't know why it said that it just did. Ch5 to be posted sometime next week. I'm going to try and post on a weekly bases.  
  
Thanks again to my beta reader Tuskafel!! You so rock!  
  
SHAMELESS Promotion!  
  
Me and my friend have a webcomic!!  
  
I'm offering a prize to the 50th review I get for this fic! If you want (ya don't have to, if you don't want to) I will draw and place you in the comic! Leave your email address and send me a description of what you look like. (tall, long black hair, green eyes etc..) I'll do my best.  
  
Note: Watch a thunder storm, count the second between when you see the lightning and when you hear the thunder. The number of seconds is the number of miles away it is to you. Keep counting like that and if the seconds increases between lightning and thunder, then it's moving away. If the numbers decrease then it's getting closer.  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT: The more Naruto dreams the more detailed and painful the dreams become. He may have the same dream over and over again, but each time it's more real. And he hasn't put two and two together yet. He doesn't realize yet that the pain when he wakes up and the dreams are connected. Let's face it, he only thinks it's a dream.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Roof Top Trivia  
  
"Finally, a nice soft bed!" Naruto exclaimed rubbing his face into the pillow on his bed. They were in a large room with three single beds against each wall. Apparently Hiroshi and his wife Chiharu had a very large family who visited every summer and they had to keep building on the guest rooms. Sakura was in the next room, which used to be their daughter's room before she married and moved out.  
  
"Hai, now everyone to bed we're leaving early. Storm or not."  
  
They had chosen to spend the rest of the day in the village exploring the shops and stores around Main Street. There were many things that they had never seen before, and more things which they had only heard of or seen in books.  
  
Naruto snuggled into warm sheets and closed his eyes, eager for a good nights sleep.  
  
*_*_*_*_*_*_*  
  
Dried blood clung to his fur as the steal wire sawed against the exposed bone of his leg. It pulled and cut every time he moved threatening to rip his leg right off. He turned his head and tried to reach the steel noose, but it only caused more pain. He again rested his head on the ground and waited as more blood flowed from the gaping cut to coat his blooded fur.  
  
The sun burned his eyes as it rose higher into the blue sky. His tongue felt dry and his throat screamed for water. The hunger pains had stopped for some reason. Maybe his stomach realized it wasn't going to be fed and growling wasn't helping.  
  
`What did I do to deserve this?` He thought as he watched the wild life move and life around him just out of reach.  
  
*_*_*_*_*_*_*  
  
His eyes flew open as he lay there motionless. `Damn! That was worse then last night! Stupid dream!` His ankle burned with pain and his whole leg felt numb. He moved them off the edge of the bed and placed his feet on the floor. `Stupid ground, stupid bed, stupid mission!`  
  
He didn't believe he had woken anyone up so he decided take a walk, then try to go back to sleep. `I need to sleep. This is the third night straight! Stupid bed. I can't even get comfortable.`  
  
He bit his lip in an effort to keep quiet while he massaged his leg, trying to get the blood flow back. Naruto carefully pushed himself up off the bed and stood gingerly testing out his foot. Slowly he eased more and more weight onto it till it could support him properly. `That's better. Now where to go?` He wondered to himself thinking about the village they were in. He and his team had spent the rest of day exploring, but there was no place in particular that came to mind as somewhere he would like to be in the dark.  
  
He turned and looked out the window of their room to the sky. It was overcast now. The dark storm clouds had drifted in sometime during the evening and covered the moon and stars. The air was thick with crisp jolts of electricity and soon to fall rain. The wind had also picked up and was moving the leaves of the trees outside. `Looks like if I wanna go anywhere its going to have to be quick.` Thinking again nothing came to mind, so he opened the window and slipped out, deciding just to sit on the roof and watch the storm develop.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sasuke watched as Naruto slipped out the window into the night. `Where the hell is he going at this hour?` He cursed and got out of bed. He glanced at his teacher who lay facing the wall. It didn't matter if he made noise now or not, he was most likely awake anyhow. The man was an elite ninja after all. Sasuke moved to the window and looked out. Naruto sat just outside within arms reach, his knees pulled up to his chest. He stood there and watched him for a moment in silence like the night before. Slowly he opened it and climbed out onto the roof after him.  
  
Sasuke could tell that Naruto knew he was there, even though he showed no signs of acknowledgment when he sat down next to him. There was a quiet, awkward moment as nothing was said. Finally Sasuke broke the silence.  
  
"Can't sleep?"  
  
"Good observation." Naruto applauded quietly as not to wake up anyone else in the house.  
  
Sasuke resisted the sudden urge to throw his teammate off the roof. It was too late or rather, too early to start a fight.  
  
"Something wrong?" He asked after another awkward silence.  
  
"No." A halfhearted and whispered reply.  
  
A flash of light caught their attention and they both turned to the sky before them. Everything around became quiet except for the blowing leaves and the wind. He started to count in his head, ` 1...2...3...4...5....6....7...8_` the world around them rumbled, then another flash of light. `8 miles away... How fast is it moving in this direction?`  
  
"1....2...3...4.._"  
  
'What are you doing?" Naruto's question made him lose count. He didn't realize he had been counting out loud. He looked over at the blond next to him and shook his head.  
  
"Nothing." He replied turning to the sky again. The thunder rumbled again and with a loud smash the sky lit up. It was so bright everything on the street looked like it was bathed in the light of a blue sun.  
  
Then the sky opened up and rain came down in sheets. It came down so fast that in the matter of seconds it took them to get back through the window they were both soaked. Sasuke locked the window behind them and started to peal the layers of wet garments from his back. As he did this, he turned and saw that Naruto was already down to his boxers and pulling back the blankets to his bed.  
  
Sasuke's eyes ran over his blond teammate's unmarked figure. His mind drifted for a moment back to a battle they had fought a few years ago. `After all the battles we've been in there's not a scratch on him.' Sasuke thought to himself. Then turned away realizing that he was staring and got into bed.  
  
Battle Memory ***  
  
They had been training in the forest one night high in the tree tops when it happened. Shadows played in the soft moonlight that filtered down from above. The cool night air had condensed moisture onto the branches making them slippery and hard to hang on to. He had just thrown a handful of shurikens at Naruto when he realized his mistake. Naruto leaped from the tree he was in to the next; his foot slipped on the wet branch and he fell. Sasuke watched as he fell into the darkness. He could hear his body hitting and snapping branches on its way down, then a bone cracking thud as it stopped.  
  
By the time he had reached him, Naruto was curled up griping his bleeding side. The blood seeped through his orange jacket and coated his trembling fingers.  
  
He had tried to tend to his wounds, but Naruto pushed him away stating it wasn't bad enough for his help. Not feeling like continuing to fight with his wounded friend he decided to let Naruto have his way. Sasuke sat down on the grass a few feet away and waited for him to admit he needed help. He waited, and waited, but he didn't give in.  
  
After about a half hour his breathing had returned to normal, and he was sitting up against the tree. The blood from the wound soaked the left side of his jacket and top of his pants. Sasuke watched silently as Naruto winced, slowly prying his blood covered hand off his side and examined it. Most of the crimson liquid had dried and stuck as clods to his dark fingers. He placed this hand against the tree and pushed himself up.  
  
"See. I'm fine."  
  
Sasuke nodded, watching him walk away.  
  
The next morning he returned to the place of the battle. Death hung in the air as flies buzzed around the blood soaked earth at the foot of the tree. The green grass where Naruto had fallen was now covered in a hard black shell of dried blood. The only sign that it had been a human that had been injured, was a bloody hand print smeared on the trunk, and the footprints in the grass.  
  
***  
  
"Night." He heard.  
  
"Hn." He replied.  
  
End chapter 4 Roof Top Trivia 


	5. Rainy Day Dilemma

Authors note: Hi everyone! Sorry this was a little longer to get out then I thought it would. It's a little longer then the other chapters so I hope that makes up for it a bit. I just got an operation done on my gums today so I'm not going to be talking for a while, and I can't eat anything other then jello and soft pasta for about a week (oh the horror ;P). Now if only I could taste anything other then blood....  
  
On another note I've found my 50th reviewer is ! *drum role* Chibi Genrou!! YAY! Sorry Moi, and Amakasu Toko, but you bother were a little off, no worries though! I"m having the same contest again for my 100th reviewer! Think I might make this a ritual if people want it. Every 50 reviews?  
  
I know it didn't post the web address in my last chapter authors notes, but I'll try again. Right HERE! movingclosets.keenspace.com ok, and if you don't see that! Just look up my pen name and it's my home page.   
  
Oh! and go check out the two other fic I'm co-writing with Tuskafel! Where for Art Thou Naruto and Yuki Chidaruma!  
  
At my current pace of typing... This fic is going to be somewhere between 20 to 30 chapters in length... O.O... *fingers fall off*... Damn me for being so detailed! But promise you will be loving me by the end if this ;) and chapters will be shorter then this.  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT: I had only intended for there to be 9 dreams. However I have 11 that I don't wanna get rid of. So after a while Naruto won't be able to determine if those are just his nightmares or fox memories. Next chapter is going to be a dream and some Shonen-ai because you all deserve it!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Rainy Day Dilemma  
  
The sound of rain beat against the curtain covered window of the room. It must have been the rain that had made him sleep so soundly. Or maybe it was the soft bed after a long walk the day before. Whatever it was, Sasuke knew he had slept too long the second his mind registered that he was the only one in the room.  
  
He sat up and looked around. The other beds were made, but Naruto's stuff was still there. Sasuke could hear the wind howl outside, he dressed and went downstairs. He could smell food cooking from the far side of the building and followed his nose to where the others were.  
  
In the kitchen, he found Sakura and the man called Hiroshi eating breakfast at the large table. In the middle of the table was bacon, toast, boiled eggs and a stack of pancakes to feed a small army.  
  
In the room across the hall, Kakashi sat stretched out on the sofa next to the big bay window, reading his book. He never even looked up as Sasuke approached and stood in front of him.  
  
"When are we leaving?"   
  
Kakashi reached up and pulled back the window curtain. Outside rain hammered against the window panes, making it almost too hard to see the wind whipping the outside world into chaos. The sky was dark with huge thunder clouds that rippled with lightning. Sasuke nodded and sat down at the table to eat breakfast.   
  
Chiharu appeared next to him and handed him a large blue plate with a green flower print.   
  
"Here you go dear. Help yourself."  
  
"Thank you." He said taking a few of each item before him. Some of the pancakes were dotted with chocolate chips, and some had blueberries. There was a bottle of syrup and a butter tray to his right, and juice and milk to his left. Everything smelled and tasted so good.  
  
The rain beat against the windows in a steady rhythm adding to the comfortable serenity of the place. There was no talking at the table, there was no need for it. With all the quiet around them, it felt as if a word spoken too loud would shatter the binds of peace and everything would come crashing down.  
  
Which is probably why when Sakura did speak, it was quiet and low.  
  
"Kakashi said that since the storm had been updated to a hurricane, that we're going to wait here till it passes."  
  
****  
  
Sasuke finished his breakfast and stood up from the table, plate in hand.   
  
"Did you have enough Sasuke dear?" He heard from the far side of the kitchen where Chiharu and Sakura were washing dishes.  
  
"Yes, it was good." He said placing his on the counter with the rest.  
  
"Well I can't take all the credit. Naruto-kun helped too."  
  
"Naruto?" Sasuke questioned, not sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he had just eaten something the blond ninja had prepared. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't see him yet this morning... Or heard him either.  
  
"Why yes! He was even up when I awoke." She laughed as she pulled the drain. The murky water gurgled and bubbled as it spun down the dark void. "I thought I was the only one who got up that early."  
  
'He was up all night?!' Sasuke keep the question to himself, and his expression plain as he turned and gazed into the room where Kakashi sat reading. As he suspected, there was no Naruto in there.  
  
"Do you know where he is?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. He's down the hall in the den, watching tv. Not sure if there's much on with all this weather. Satellite might be missing signals."  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
*Flick* 'BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................  
  
*Flick* 'BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................  
  
*Flick* 'BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................  
  
*Flick* 'BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................  
  
*Flick* 'BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................  
  
*Flick* 'BUZz...  
  
"It's dead."  
  
"Wish you were too."   
  
Sasuke ignored the comment and sat on the blue plaid sofa against the wall. He nearly sunk out of sight in the huge fluffy cushions. He struggled to a comfortable siting position where he didn't feel as if he would disappear and watched his teammate. Naruto sat in the chair completely upside down. His legs leaned against the back of the chair with his feet kicking the open air above, while his head hung upside down. Despite being bathed in the static glow from the tv a few feet away, Sasuke found it hard to see his face.  
  
More flicking followed by the sound of the static.   
  
  
  
"Its not helping." Sasuke wondered why he was trying so hard to create conversation between them.   
  
"Hn." Naruto replied and continued to flick mindlessly. Eventually the blood flow to Naruto's head proved to be too much and he finally sat properly as Mrs. Nakamura entered the room caring a box of tapes and DVDs.  
  
"Hello boys. Just brought you something to watch incase the Dish was out." She placed the box on the stand next to the tv.  
  
"Thank you Chiharu." Naruto said in a surprisingly cheery voice from the one only seconds ago. "Do you need help with anything?" he asked as she passed by him on her way out of the room again.  
  
She stopped briefly and patted his head. "That's ok dear, we got everything finished up already. But I'll give ya a call if needed."  
  
Sasuke watched as Naruto's face lit up like a Christmas tree as he was praised by the older woman. He looked like a kid that just got all he ever wanted. He continued to smile until she had left the room, then he stood and wandered over to the box and began to sort through it.   
  
Most of the movies were old. Naruto read the titles out loud as Sasuke just sat and stared into nothingness.   
  
"Gone with the Wind Ninjas, Titanic in the Mist, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Shinobi, Love Boat No Jutsu, Strip-a-rella, Come Come Paradise: The Movie?!?" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise before placing it in the 'not going to watch EVER!' pile, which was steadily growing next to him.  
  
"I think I know why Hiroshi and Kakashi get along so well, they have the same taste." He commented more to himself then Sasuke.   
  
Sasuke watched him shuffle through the box for a few minutes, then turned away to stare at the blank teal walls of the room. His thoughts drifted away from him as he spaced out and finally gave in to the power of the sofa and sank in it as far as he could. It was very comfortable despite the fact that it had practically swallowed him alive. He pulled his feet up under him and leaned his head back on the cushions.  
  
Naruto sifted through the box till his fingers reached the bottom. "Any request?" he asked turning to Sasuke, but there was no reply. Sighing, he turned to the small pile of movies he found at least a bit interesting and grabbed the top one.  
  
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Shinobi it is then!" he declared, as Sakura entered the room.  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asked sitting beside Sasuke on the sofa. She smiled at him, but she received the same response. Sighing to herself, she got comfortable and joined her two allies in watching the movie.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The glow from the flickering tv screen was the only source of light in the dark room they sat in. Shadows jumped and twitched, but no one noticed. All three were focused on the light source. Not really watching the movie just watching the pictures flicker with some fuzzy sound. Needless to say the entertainment was dull. Most of the day had passed without too much fuss, other than changing movies after watching about half and getting tired of it.   
  
After some time Naruto got up from the chair and left mumbling something about nature calling him. Sasuke sat watching as the screen became blurry. He turned away from the screen, rubbing his sore eyes. He knew better then to watch that much tv in one sitting, but what else was there to do? He had thought about going and joining his teacher and the other man for a conversation, but after going through the choice of movies, he thought maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea.  
  
Sasuke looked around the room again waiting for Naruto to return. The teal walls were decorated with paintings and pictures of landscapes. There were three shelves around the room, holding decorative dishes. One set was sailing ships. Their masts reaching high in the painted sky. Another set of dishes that hang on the wall next to the door was covered in horses. All different colors and sizes running this way and that, like a stampede. Finally, the last set hung above his head covered with symbols and designs from all the different countries around the Leaf country. Fire, mist, lighting, cloud, leaf, rock, sand etc. Each one was either a country's symbol or their ninja clan mark.  
  
Sasuke shifted in an attempt to get the blood flowing back to his legs. The dope had been gone longer then he realized. 'Stupid baka must have drowned.' he thought bitterly. Turning he looked over at Sakura who had fallen asleep. He smirked and he pulled himself out from the clingy plaid sofa that wouldn't let go.  
  
"Ya the movies were pretty lame." He said quietly, pondering for a moment if he should leave her there to fight off the plaid monster she was sleeping on or bring her with him. He choose the latter since he didn't think he would be gone long anyhow. Just a stretch of the legs.  
  
Sasuke walked down the hall a little ways, before the fresh aroma of dinner being prepared passed him and filled his nose. He entered the kitchen, finding Kakashi and Hiroshi sitting at the dinner table talking and laughing. Chiharu was buzzing around the kitchen like her hair was on fire and in the middle of it stood Naruto at the stove, with two red oven mitts and a white apron with the words, 'I don't add sugar! Because I'm all the sweet you need ;)' in fluffy pink lace.  
  
Unable to resist the opportunity before him, Sasuke entered the room and stood next to the stove and Naruto; using his ninja skills to hide the smirk best he could. Naruto's hand twitched as he noticed Sasuke enter the room and move towards him. Naruto figured Sasuke saw what was written on his chest in pink lace and couldn't resist. And Naruto had to admit to himself, he really did look as bad as he thought.   
  
He had gone to the washroom and was heading back when he had caught sight of Chiharu in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Weighting his options he asked of she needed any help, since the movies were going nowhere fast. She had called him closer to him, and with the training of a elite shinobi, aided by that of a sweet older woman/mother/aunt aura, she had him in the apron before he could utter a word of protest. Which is where Sasuke found him. However Naruto had plans of his own. And as Chiharu swung by on her way to the sink, he declared in a loud voice so she could hear.   
  
"Sure Sasuke you can help!"  
  
"You want to help Sasuke-kun?" she said. Before he even had a chance to glare at the blond and before he realized what had happen, he was being shoved to the sink with an arm load of potatoes and a peeler, and somehow a blue apron around his neck that read 'I taste better than I look.' in pink flames.  
  
The rest of the work and preparation for the meal was spent exchanging glares. Kakashi went and retrieved Sakura before supper, who almost died laughing at Sasuke and Naruto in aprons and pink.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You shouldn't have said anything."  
  
"I didn't."  
  
"I know what you were thinking."   
  
  
  
"You telepathic all of a sudden?"  
  
"Shut up I just know. You were laughing at me!"  
  
"I thought you were supposed to be sweet?" Sasuke said with a smirk he didn't try to hide this time. He buttoned his night shirt, pulled back the blankets to his bed and climbed in. The sheets were warm and cozy as he turned to face Naruto's bed across the room. He watched him tuck himself in, back to and fall asleep moments after his head hit the pillow. 'Good. If the dope gets some sleep then we can be back home tomorrow if we hurry.`  
  
"Night." Sasuke said.  
  
"...." Was his reply.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the darkness Naruto struggled to get free, but failed and plunged into the cold.  
  
END CHAPTER 5 Rainy Day Dilemma 


	6. Vanish into the Storm

Here you go all my loving adoring fans out there! Another chapter! *glomps the lot of you!* You are so COOL! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You have no idea what reviews do for my ego! Thank you to everyone who reviewed this fic and my comic too! We're working on a new layout and a place to post comments as well.   
  
I would like to send a special thank you to Gambit Gal, and Tai! So far the only ones to review the other fic I'm co-writing with Tuskafel called, 'Yuki Chidamaru'. You two so rock!   
  
After I finish writing this fic I'm posting Authors notes at the end so everyone can see how man times I had to re-write certain things... Man those will be good for a laugh. Hmm this is only the second dream... And I had 11 in total....*beats head on table* what was I thinking!?!?  
  
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTION!  
  
Raspberry Jam: Sasuke was thinking that, and that's a typo I missed. I meant to say Dobe. ;P  
  
Mootilldawn: I suppose DVDs might be out of place there. But from what I can tell the only things they don't have is automobiles, and weapons like guns and cannons. They got T.V.s VCRs, ACs and other abbreviated appliances, I just tossed them in there. Oh well it's the only part where they show up :p And most likely you'll get your wish for longer chapters... I find I'm getting more detailed as I work.   
  
Nora D (reviewed ch4): I should have answered this last chapter but I forgot sorry. Naruto experiences a dream/memory from the fox when he sleeps. He will have the same dream more then once and each time it becomes more detailed. Example :  
  
Ch1: "The wire bit savagely into his back leg causing it to bleed again." – Simple   
  
Ch4: "Dried blood clung to his fur as the steal wire sawed against the exposed bone of his leg." – Elaborate  
  
It's the same thing written two ways.   
  
SilverTear (reviewed ch4): The more Naruto dreams the more he begins to lose the line of reality... hmm how can I explain without giving stuff away?.. Let me just say that after a while without sleep his mind will start to play tricks on him ;)  
  
Aishiteru Duo (reviewed ch4 & 3): LMAO! Hehehehehehe! Its ok, because that so made my day! I did it a few times myself don't worry :)  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT:  
  
This dream is not one for the fox demon's dreams, this is just one of Naruto's. I was planning on this being one of the ones I was going to cut out of my 11, but for some reason it got worked in here so well I HAD to use it! And I actually saw a documentary on this a few months ago. It was really good and sent shivers up my spine, wish I had taped it. This is most of the stuff I remember from it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Vanish into the Storm  
  
  
  
  
  
**********  
  
"Let me out!" He screamed and struggled to get free. It was dark, hard to breathe and it smelled of earth and fabric.   
  
"Hope ya can swim boy!" A mans voice exclaimed as hands threw him into the air. He was weightless for a moment before gravity took over and he landed with a splash. The water pressed the bag against his body. As he fought to get out, the fabric became heavy and air vanished.   
  
Naruto struggled to reach his belt where he kept his shruikens, but his hand felt nothing but fabric. Another wave of panic swept over him. He kept sinking as the water pressure continued to increase, crushing the bag to his body; limiting his frantic movements. All air was gone now; he was holding his breath and his lungs burned.   
  
'Help me!' His mind screamed into the darkness. 'Please!' He needed to get out fast. He was running out of air. Then a thought crossed his mind; a memory about how he got out of the belly of a snake.   
  
'YES!' His mind shrieked as his hands formed the seal. He concentrated, but nothing happened. 'What?' He tried again. Everything started to become dizzy as the water pressure increased against his body. Why couldn't he use his Kage Bunshin no Justu??!   
  
He wrenched his head back in pain as his ear drums imploded. His teeth clenched together trying to hold in the precious bubbles of air as they tried to escape with his scream of agony. He couldn't see it, but he could taste the blood from the water in his mouth. Colors and lights danced in front of his eyes and for a moment, he believed it was the sun. His lungs burned like fire and his need for air consumed his mind and body. He gasped in the cold water unable to hold his breath any longer.  
  
Cold, salt water flooded his lung cavities. Blood rushed to his lungs where there should have been air, but there was none. His eyes rolled back in his head at the pain splitting his chest. His arms lessened their struggle against the fabric coffin. His heart beat slowed... and after a few moments stopped.  
  
But his brain remained alive... floating helplessly in its watery tomb till it is finally unable to go on. And still it would be a few more minutes before his dead corpse would reach the bottom; where it would become a meal for the creatures that lurked in the dark depths.   
  
*********  
  
Naruto sat bolt upright clutching his frantically beating heart and gasping for air. Sweat was running down his back almost as fast as the rain outside the window. His hands shaking violently against the damp sheets wrapped tightly around him. He pulled at the fabric trying to get lose without submitting to the panic still in him, and kicking them to the foot of the bed.  
  
'It was a dream, it was just a dream!' Naruto repeated over and over again in his head.   
  
"Christ!" He cursed and pulled off his soaked night shirt and pants, slamming them down next to him on the bed. Sweat glistening off his skin from what little light filtering through the closed curtains when lightning lit up the heavens.   
  
'Damn! What the hell have I been eating to have bad dreams four nights in a row?' Naruto lay back in bed and stared at the ceiling above him; or rather where the ceiling would be if he could see it. The wet sheets clung to him as he turned over to look at the other two beds in the room. Kakashi's was still and dark, but it didn't look as if he was awakened by his movements. Naruto's eyes moved to the other bed in the room, where his rival lay. Another flash lit up the room allowing him to see Sasuke sleeping soundly on his back; his breath even and slow.   
  
Naruto swung his feet over the side of the bed again, placing them on the floor. The cold wood was smooth on the bottom of his rough feet as he pushed himself up to stand. His ankle felt weak and fragile while he moved quietly across the floor toward the door. Leaving behind everything except a cold pair of boxers he dared not remove, incase he came across his other teammate on this nightly ramble.   
  
The halls were dark and cold as Naruto retraced the room layout in his mind. 'Ok, there was nothing in the hallway I'm in now, so no worries as to bumping into anything... Now... Where am I going again?' He stopped and looked around. The lightning from outside being his only source of light left him with only brief, still images burned into his eyes every few seconds. He had no intentions of going anywhere when he left his bedroom, he just got up and moved. An automatic reaction to the feeling of immobility from being wrapped in the sack in his dream.   
  
Three closed door lit up ahead of them and he remembers where they go. One was the room Sakura was sleeping in, another was the master bedroom where his two hosts slept, and the last farthest away was the bathroom. He wondered what Sakura's reaction would be if he went and woke her up claiming he had a nightmare and was wondering if he could spend the night in her room. Naruto's face twitched at the thought of the painful slap that it would earn him.  
  
He continued silently down the hall and passed the other two rooms, right to the stairs that led to the main floor. Carefully he descended into the dark pit, testing with his foot before placing weight on the next step, incase it squeaked his location to the darkness. Finally he reached the bottom and found himself in the kitchen.   
  
Cold enamel welcomed the soles of his feet as he moved to the table. Its wooden top was smooth under his fingers as he brushed his hand over it. Naruto turned and entered another hall. Walking the same direction he did that morning before he found himself in the den. It was extremely dark since there were no windows in the room, the still images he received from the flashing lightning proved to be useless the few times they were bright enough to reach him in the doorway. He felt his way to the couch against the wall. It was the same sofa that Sasuke had been on.   
  
Naruto sat down on the soft cushions, and felt himself sinking in. Sinking, the fabric wrapping around him, holding him, dragging him down. 'Let me out! No!' He jumped up struggling against the clingy pull of the dark beast. He fell to his knees on the carpeted floor; his back to the soft fabric that no longer sought to consume him. Naruto stood again on wobbly legs and made his way back to the kitchen where he believed nothing would try to eat him.   
  
An open door caught his attention and he entered it, finding himself in the living room. Another flash of light outlined the bay window on the far side. He peaked through it, out into the dark night outside. Naruto opened the curtains fully, letting the view of the storm fill the room. His legs ached, and his eyes hurt. He moved another chair to face the window, not wanting to try and sit on another sofa. There he curled up, bringing his legs under him. He rested his tired head on the arm and watched the storm.  
  
~~~~~  
  
*Crash!*  
  
Sasuke's eyes flew open at the smash of thunder that shook his bed. He lay still listening to the storm outside and for anything else he might hear, but the dark revealed nothing. And when he opened his eyes, it showed even less. The room was dark and still. To still he noticed looking at the other bed across the room. 'God damn it! He had better be to the washroom!'   
  
Sasuke turned on his side to face Naruto's bed and watched for the dolt to return. The storm raged outside with the full fury of nature's wrath against the house. He lay there looking at the empty bed, wondering how it was able to withstand this type of onslaught and hardly shake at all. He felt his eyes drift shut with the sound of rain hitting the window pain. The soft warmth of the bed drawing him back into sleep. His eyes flew open with another thunderous crash, and he realized Naruto wasn't returning.   
  
Slowly he got up and walked over to the bed. The sheets and blankets had been pushed to the foot of the bed, and the pillow was on the floor. A small pile of clothes appeared to be pajamas, but that couldn't be right, could it? Was Naruto walking around some strangerÆs house naked in the middle of the night? Bending over he touched the fabric to see if it still retained some warmth from its occupant, but was slightly shocked to find it cold and damp. His first thought was that the dead-last had pissed the bed, but it was only the sheets that were damp as he discovered when he carefully picked up the blankets.   
  
He looked over at Kakashi who lay back to on another bed. The Jounin showed no signs of being awake, but Sasuke knew he most likely was. So sighing to himself, he gathered up two of the soft blankets in his arms and went to go find his lost comrade.  
  
He moved through the darkness like it was his own home. He had memorized the layout the day before, when they received a tour from Chiharu and Hiroshi. He skipped passed the first two doors on the floor, knowing that Naruto was dumb, but not enough to enter either of them. He found the bathroom empty like he expected, then went downstairs to the kitchen. Lightning flashed more brightly than he had expected and left his eyes burning with the image around him.   
  
Sasuke rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, trying to remove the shining sink and fridge from his mind. After a moment he managed to open them again and looked around. The light shouldn't have been that bright unless a window was open somewhere close by. Another flash, not as bright as the last one, showed him what he was looking for. He could see a chair that had been moved in front of the window in the next room, also what appeared to be a head resting on the arm.   
  
Shaking his head, he walked toward the doorway then stopped. For some reason he had believed Naruto would be asleep, but something told him he wasn't. Slowly he moved in behind the chair and peered down. Naruto sat curled up in the chair with only his boxers on and his head on the arm of the chair. He frowned and tossed the blanket over him.  
  
Naruto jumped like he had been attacked and batted madly at the fabric. A panicked gasp escaped him and reached Sasuke's ear.   
  
"ItÆs me." He said pulling the blanket off Naruto's head. The blond stared at him for a moment while an awkward silence grew neither knowing what to say. After all, Naruto had just about panicked there on the spot over nothing.  
  
"Why are you up?" He somehow managed to get out, not sounding too bad as he pulled the fabric to cover him without feeling too smothered.  
  
"The storm woke me." Came the answer as Sasuke sat on the arm of the chair where Naruto's head had been. They sat there a while longer, watching the lightning dance with the dark storm clouds in the sky outside.  
  
"You should get to bed."  
  
"Thanks mom." Naruto replied sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"Moron."  
  
"Asshole."  
  
"Bastard."  
  
"..Prick..."  
  
"Dead last." Sasuke said his mind already planning the next half a dozen comebacks he knew Naruto wouldn't be able to come up with himself. Lightning lit the room making shadows dance and jump across the walls, while the wind banged flying branches against the glass. æIf the storm gets any worse then we all might have to find stronger shelter.'  
  
The cool air in the room sent a chill up his spine and he pulled the other blanket closer around him. Sasuke then felt something odd, there is a slight pressure on the side of his thigh, and as he looked down he found a mop of golden hair.  
  
"..... Smart ass....."   
  
The words drifted to his ear were almost lost in the sound of rain, and he wondered if he actually heard them at all. Suddenly aware of his surroundings he scanned the room to see if anyone was watching. People he knew or not, he did not want to be caught with his teammate sleeping on his lap.  
  
He looked back at Naruto, whose breathing had evened out and was now deep in sleep. He knew should probably leave and head back to bed, but that would mean waking Naruto and removing that head from his leg. He could remember easily that it had been almost 4 nights since they had started their mission. Their short little three day trip had lasted almost a week. Not that he really minded. The thought of having to face the dust cows again back in his own house made he feel like throwing up. Yes, that was one of his worst qualities he would openly admit. He was a lazy house keeper. But then again it was only him in his house, and he figured as long as he found it tolerable it was clean enough.   
  
  
  
'If I wake him to move him, will he go back to sleep?' Sasuke asked himself studying the blond youth before him. Naruto's blanket has slipped to his lap exposing his back and shoulders. Sasuke looked around the room once more to make sure they were alone, then covered him up. Adjusting slightly, he pulled his blanket up under his chin and leaned back against the chair. He closed his eyes and listened to the storm rage outside.   
  
"Dobe..." He said in a whisper so as not to wake the other up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
End Chapter  
  
Vanish into the storm 


	7. Fly a Way Home

First off, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! I've been lazy and I've had work to do, and my muse has been feeling neglected so she's not helping me out too much at the moment. This chapter is neither as long as I wanted nor with enough descriptions as I would have liked. But I needed to get it done to get on with the better stuff. I'm sorry.  
  
To all those who said I made them squirm from the last chapter.... " YES YES YES!! OH YES! *dances around the room* I wanna make you guys absolutely shiver with fear! Noted I already gave myself a bad nightmare writing up a dream that is coming up later.  
  
But remember! This is a HORROR fic, first and foremost. The cute stuff is only on the side. (makes it seem more important that way ;)  
  
Reviews to Reviews: (I'll keep this short as I can.)  
  
FireDraygon97: "....." I never even realized it... But I think he did!  
  
Amadeus, & les_mizerable: Don't care what chapter you review, Thank you!  
  
Fang fire: Believe it or not I've only gotten into the whole Shonen_ai /yaoi thing about a month before I started writing this. Thanks!!  
  
CYBES!!! Where are you?!? Sweet heart you forgot to leave me your email to ask you if you wanted to be in the comic! Please give me a shout to say if ya do or don't! Love to hear from ya!  
  
ChibieRaye_Chan : This is my concept on how the demon came into being. It has 9 tails for every horrible death it experienced. The deaths were so bad each time he was reborn he retained some of the hatred. BUT! After Naruto experiences some more 'lovely' dreams/memories HIS nightmares are going to be in fox form... all shall be explained in time! And if not, my Authors notes at the end should do it. ;)  
  
Japime gurl : ... You have no idea....*falls over dead*  
  
To everyone else: *Tackle Glomps!* THANK YOU!!  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT:  
  
You have no IDEA how close I was to taking that little bit of fluff in this chapter out. I know I'm on chapter 7 and this IS truly the first piece of fluff so far, (and for a while I might add) but it felt to me like too much too soon. If I'm going to write something I'm gonna write it right! First and forever foremost this is a Horror fic, and shall remain so till the very end where its' gonna be all fluff ;)  
  
BUT!! But since you people are so wonderful and leave me dozens of reviews to inflate my ego beyond all reasonable limits I've left it in. Along with Sasuke dripping wet ;)  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Fly a Way Home.  
  
Scenery blurred by as he soared toward the next tree, his sandaled foot hardly touching the bark before he was off again. Not a leaf fluttered from his passing. Years of experience had taught him to move unnoticed. To the point where it was second nature to him, like breathing.  
  
His eyes scanned the wall of dark cloud surrounding them as they ran. They were in the eye of the hurricane and running out of time. The storm had slowed up as it passed by, and by sheer luck did it pass directly over the tiny town with the modern day houses they had been occupying.  
  
*~*~*Kakashi's Flash back*~*~*~*  
  
Kakashi had stayed awake most of the night listening to the wind outside, to see which way it had shifted. Also to see of his subordinates were sleeping yet. And not to his surprise, they weren't. It had been Naruto, like the pervious nights, who had risen from bed first and vanished out the dark bedroom door. He listened as the boy's foot steps faded into the shadows. After a few minutes of the still dark, he made a move to get up and retrieve him when his senses kicked in and alerted the Jonin that his other subordinate was close to waking. Quickly he lay himself back down and waited.  
  
Kakashi assumed that Sasuke probably knew he was awake, but made no move to acknowledge it. He listened instead as Sasuke got out of bed and followed Naruto's path out the door and down the hall.  
  
'Good, maybe if Sasuke brings him back he'll go to sleep.' He thought rolling over to face the dark room. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to lightly claim him. He would not allow himself true sleep that night, only a mild cat_nap where he could still listen to the wind and rain. If they were lucky, then maybe the eye of the storm would pass close by and they could run the distance back to Konoha. Noted they had spent one night in the woods camping to get here, but that was only because they had left extremely late the day before.  
  
He lay there in his warm bed wrapped up in smooth, cozy, cotton sheets and a down filled comforter at his feet waiting for a light rest. But it did not come, nor did the footsteps of his team from the dark hall. They had been gone more then fifteen minutes and there had been no screams or thumps to indicate a fight. Instantly his ninja instincts kicked in. Something must have happened.  
  
Like a shadow he melted from the bed and drifted out the door like an invisible mist. The hall was dark and cold on his feet, and was only given brief snap shot images from the lightning outside. However, even then when it became filled with white light for seconds at a time, the master ninja was not exposed. He checked every room as he passed. Sakura sleeping soundly in her bed, lulled to sleep by the rain on the window. Hiroshi and Chiharu's room was undisturbed, and bathroom unoccupied. He slipped into the abyss of the dark stairway.  
  
His feet hadn't even touched the linoleum, when he became aware there were only two figures to be found. This both relieved him and somehow unnerved him. He knew it was Naruto and Sasuke, but they were not moving... And very close.  
  
He stood in the doorframe for a moment watching the dark_haired boy sleep mounted on the arm of the chair. Kakashi could sense the blond close, but was unable to spot him. He moved forward into the room and around the side of the chair where he found his answer. The blond lay sleeping on his team mate's thigh, a peaceful look plastered on his face. The Jonin smiled under his mask and walked off for his own bed.  
  
*~*~*Real time*~*~*  
  
'Neither have said two words to each other since this morning'. He thought to himself stealing glances back at his team. He could tell they were all tired. Sweat soaked their clothes and made it cling to their bodies. And their breaths were now panting and ragged.  
  
"Keep moving, we're almost there." He called back. The gates to Konoha lay only a mile or more away, then they could all rest. Tree branches snapped in the wild winds that churned and spun around them. Chain lightning danced around them making the hair on their arms stand up. The hurricane had picked up speed and was now heading in a different direction. They had to make it through the gates before their tiny world of calm was ripped apart by the debris_cluttered breezes.  
  
He glanced back at his team again. Sakura was painting heavily and she tried to keep up with the others. Her backpack seemed to be slowing her down, and he remembered all the little trinkets she had purchased for her family and friends. Maybe next time he'd tell her just to get them all postcards instead.  
  
Sasuke was by far the best off of the team. His black hair stuck to his forehead where he had brushed it out of his face, not caring about his appearance. His shirt clung to his youthful frame like a second skin; moving and sliding over his muscles as he reached for the next branch. His mouth was half open as he breathed strongly.  
  
And last but not least, the young, energetic, orange_clad, number one, loudest ninja was scampering along like a happy chipmunk. His spike hair now flat, as sweat ran down the back of his neck. He had unzipped his jacket a few miles back letting it flap behind him like a cape, revealing his normally hidden black shirt. His mouth was gaping wide in an effort to gather more oxygen.  
  
His little band of misfits were really something else. Finally a familiar form appeared around the latest clump of trees and he smiled as he recognized home.  
  
*~*~* 20min later*~*~*  
  
"See you all tomorrow morning!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Came the astonished reply from Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke was also giving him a look. The streets were empty of people and all the shop doors and windows were closed. Paper and garbage fluttered up in dead_end alleys when the wind blew and roared. The beloved calm eye of the storm had moved off to the west, leaving its short time inhabitants to wallow and wash about in its wake.  
  
Kakashi laughed through his mask. "Just kidding! See you all when this storm passes." He said and vanished into another street.  
  
"Bye guys!" Sakura called as she stopped at the door to her own house, while the other two ran on. For the most part the two lived in the same generic direction, so they continued straight down the same street.  
  
Finally the street came that lead Naruto on his own path home. For a second, Sasuke looked at Naruto and Naruto looked straight back. Neither blinked, smiled nor acknowledge the other was ever really there to start with. Then they both turned their separate ways and ran on in silence.  
  
*~*~*~Sasuke's flash back~*~*~*  
  
The rain had softened its frantic pounding on the windows of the three story Victorian house. Noises could be heard from the kitchen of pots, pans and curses as someone frantically rushed around to cook something. Lightning shone only a fraction of what its true force was hours ago, and thunder was merely a low rumble. But none of these sounds reached the ears of those sleeping soundly on the plush chair in the sitting room. Not loud enough to wake them, till a hand was placed on the dark haired boy's shoulder.  
  
His first reaction was to grab his knife and arm himself against the attacker. But the grip loosened and a strong, but gentle voice reached his ear.  
  
"Time to get up." Kakashi said with a wink. Or maybe he blinked, it was hard to tell with only one visible eye. Quickly he turned and walked out toward the kitchen. Sasuke frowned to himself. He shouldn't have been so careless, letting his teacher sneak up on him like that, even if the man was a Jonin, he should at least try not to let his guard down so low. He yawned and moved to get up from his perched position, when he realized his leg wasn't moving.  
  
Sasuke's dark eyes widened in shock at what the problem was. Naruto's head rested on his lap, one hand had come up and was lightly clinging to Sasuke's pyjama pants keeping him in place. The blanket had once again slipped off the young boy's shoulders and rested wrapped around his pale waist covering his boxers. His legs had come out from under him and hung limply a few inches above the floor. But it was not just the sight of his seemingly naked team mate, sleeping in his lap that made him tense. It was also the realization that at some point. At some time during his peaceful slumber on the chair arm. Resting with his team mate to secretly help the insomnia he had been suffering the past few days; that his hand had gained a mind of its own.  
  
'Idle hands are the devils play things.' The rhyme echoed in his mind along with some sick maniacal laughter. He could feel his face warm as he removed his right hand from where it had nestled itself in the tangled locks of the blond youth. 'This is just to close!'  
  
Naruto's face twitched as the warmth was removed and a silent grunt sound was heard but he made no move to wake. Sasuke sighed in relief as he thought that maybe he could escape this embarrassing situation intact, but then it hit him. Something that he should have realized the moment his eyes opened. He had been SEEN! Kakashi had woken him up, so he had seen the position Naruto and him were in! And most likely from the sound in the next room so had everyone else!  
  
Sasuke jumped up sending Naruto flying to the floor in an ungraceful heap. "What the hell!?!" He exclaimed rubbing his head. "Sasuke you.!" He became instantly quiet at the sight of Sasuke, outlined by the light in the doorway and a mad blush on his face.  
  
Naruto was puzzled for a moment before he realized why Sasuke had been blushing. He remembered something about his pillow last night being warm and soft despite the cold room. Without a word he got up wrapping the blanket around him and followed his comrade back to their room to dress.  
  
Twenty minutes later, they all stood at the door packed and ready to go, while Mrs. Nakamura fluttered between each one shoving toast, bagels and glasses of fresh orange juice into their hands declaring that 'ninjas or not they were still growing and needed a good breakfast in order to be healthy and strong'. This was promptly followed by hugs strong enough to re_squeeze the orange juice they just had. And after finally prying Naruto off the kind women that he had somehow come to see as a loving Aunt. (She didn't help by grasping the blond in a tighter hold.) They were finally leaping through the trees on their way back home.  
  
*~*~*~*Real time*~*~*~*  
  
Naruto slammed the door shut behind him. At long last he was home sweet home, where he could eat his beloved ramen and sleep in his own comfortable, warm, soft, no_bad_dreams bed. Not bothering to even flick on the light he started to peal off his wet clothes on his way to the shower. He tossed them in a tangled ball into the open hamper next to door as he entered the bathroom. The cool air of the room gave him goose bumps over his naked body.  
  
"Maybe I should have kept my clothes on." He said out loud to the empty room. Naruto grabbed a new towel from the tiny closet and hung it on the rack next to the shower stall. He turned on the tap and let it run for a few seconds allowing the water to heat up. He stood shivering naked, till a faint mist began to creep up from under the stained white curtain. He knew it was racking up the water bill, but today he was to damn tired to care.  
  
After the shower, the blond exited the bathroom and went straight to bed. He never even bothered to get on his usual fuzzy pj's before crawling deep under the mound of fabric. A blanket and a comforter were on the bed while another two more comforters lay draped over the foot of the bed. Even though the nights were not cold, it was something the lonely fox child had come to take comfort in. Naruto felt secure and safe deep under the thick covers. The weight of the blankets had always made him feel hidden when he was small. When there was no one around to tell him things that went bump in the night were never going to hurt him. The weight reassured him when no one else would.  
  
Too bad the things that would hurt him didn't go bump in the night... They bite and cut and tear at the wounded and exposed flesh of his dreams. His body might have been secure and safely hidden in the pile of material, but his mind was open to attacks from the darkest parts of his subconscious. The parts that even the darkest heart and soul refuses to acknowledge; where the true demons of the mind reside in the shadows. Reaching out a blood splattered claw for the helpless form trembling in the shrinking spotlight. Grabbing onto its victims and dragging it into the shadows where all that remains are screams of pain and loneliness.  
  
End chapter 7  
  
Fly a Way Home 


	8. Float for a Moment

I'm sorry for chapter 7... It took so long to get written and uploaded and it wasn't near what it should have been. I thank all those who reviewed and said what they really thought.  
  
I'm not offended by criticism and feel more offended when people don't post anything instead of saying what they think. Whether to say the chapter was slow, or it skipped too much and was hard to follow. These things tell me if I'm doing something wrong, or if I missed something. Please tell me! I'm not offended! You cannot offend me! Believe me! I know me!  
  
And I'll prove it to you! For those who didn't see, I re-uploaded ch7 with some changes (very minor I'll admit), but I added what's happening in the "*~*~*~*~*~*~*' things. Might help with the confusion that was there. And since I got a lot of nice reviews for the last paragraph in ch7 I did a smaller rendition this time with Sasuke. A little longer and maybe not quite as good, but tell me what you think please?  
  
Thank you:  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT:  
  
I'm dragging this out and I know you all hate it, but TRUST ME! You'll love me later!  
  
There's a vacation coming up for Konoha. Like a March break and it's a week long. No holiday in particular, just a break to give everyone a rest. Vacation starts on Saturday. "Today' it is Tuesday in Konoha.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Float for a moment  
  
"I'm home!" Sakura called as she shut the door behind her.  
  
"There you are! I was beginning to thing you got blown away in this wind." Her mother said coming out of kitchen and helping her daughter.  
  
"Almost did, we had to spend a night in the next village, so I picked up some souvenirs for everyone." She said handing her mother the pack and bent over to take off her sandals. Her wet hair lay flat plastered to the back of her neck...  
  
The warm air from the house made her arms tingle. She had been pretty warm earlier because they had spent the day running, but now that she had stopped, the heat from her body making contact with warm air instead of blistering cold rain made her shiver.  
  
"Sakura this bag weighs almost as much as you do! How did you bring it back?" An evil grin pulled at the corner of her mother's mouth and she winked. "Did Sasuke-kun help you?"  
  
Sakura shook her head sadly, "No, he didn't even offer so I didn't say anything. Argh! Can't he be considerate of the well-being of his only beautiful, female team mate?!?" The response was sarcastic and truthful at the same time. "I'm starting to think Naruto is more of a gentleman than him.... Almost..."  
  
Sakura didn't notice her mother's hand twitch as she and entered the kitchen with the wet back pack. "I'll have supper ready soon, why don't you take a quick shower and get some dry clothes on?"  
  
"Ok." There was the soft stomp of feet on stairs as she went to take a very welcomed shower.  
  
The older women placed the bag chair on the old wooden chair next to the stove. Its heat drifted up from the red spiral burners making the kitchen warmer then it was suppose to be on such a cold and blustery evening. The song on the radio ended and the announcer came on in a cherry voice and happily informed all his listeners that everyone could expect at least a few more days of hard rain and tornado-like winds. But from the direction the storm front was moving in, it appeared there might be a chance it would all be over by Wednesday night, then nothing but clear skies for the upcoming holiday. But this information did nothing to change the blank look on one of his listeners faces.  
  
She picked up the wooden spoon that lay on the spoon rest and opened the lid of the largest pot in front of her. Vivid memories of a time before her daughter was teamed up with the town's beloved, orphaned Uchiha, and the abomination Uzumaki, ran through her head like a bad movie you just can't stop watching.  
  
*****Mrs. Haruno flash back*****  
  
"Mr., and Mrs. Haruno may I have a word with you?" said the elderly man as soon as the front door was opened.  
  
"Hokage-sama! We were not expecting you! Please come in by all means!" She bowed and stepped aside allowing more then enough room for him to enter. The small hall in front of the door flooded with warm sunlight from the early morning.  
  
"Thank you, you're most kind." The elderly man seemed to drift in silently on the still rays of light. Entering into the living room he found Sakura's father reading that morning's paper. The man looked up at him for a moment before reality hit him with as to who had just entered. He was up in a flash, the paper quickly forgotten as he went to attend to his honoured guest. It must have been something serious if the leader of the village came to your house...Even more serious being such an early hour.  
  
"No don't bother to get up, I can't stay long. I just came to talk to you about your daughter Sakura." He said made a motion with his hand to keep Mr. Haruno seated where he was.  
  
Bother parents were taken aback and immediately started apologizing for her. "What did she do? Oh I'm so sorry for any trouble she's caused. We try and make sure she does the right thing but you know kids these days! If there is anything we can...."  
  
" No, no the child is not in trouble. Dear no, she is one of the best students I've seen in a while. No, I've come to inform you about the team mates she will be studying with as a Genin." Mr. And Mrs. Haruno fell silent and listened intently to the Hokage as he explained their daughter's future.  
  
"The two who I have decided would most benefit her would be Uchiha Sasuke," he could see the smiles and joy on their faces at that name. They knew he was extremely strong and would be able to protect her. And maybe... Just maybe she could grab his heart! Having the last Uchiha in the family would be a great honour.  
  
"And Uzumaki Naruto." All dreams and hopes melted and burned like butter on a hot skillet. Her father was the first to react.  
  
"My daughter on the same team as ...!"  
  
"Enough! I've come to inform you about this situation before even informing my Chunins about this. I see how everyone in the village treats that boy. Even though he was sacrificed against his will to save this village, he is treated as nothing more then a monster. The boy has no friends and no one to call ally. Though you might see him as a threat, he is completely harmless. I've informed you about this for another reason as well. As you would probably cause a protest if you found out through other means.'  
  
" Naruto will be teamed up with Sakura and Sasuke with your permission, or Sakura and Sasuke will not be able to form a team by themselves and be forced to repeat the academy once again till there is a suitable number of students. This is your choice to make. You are both fair and smart people and I know you will do the right thing. You have two days to make a decision. " And with that he vanished out the door.  
  
***End Flash back**  
  
How could they say "no' to the leader of the village? And despite the sickening feeling every time they heard his name on their daughter's lips, whether in insults or comments they had said nothing. Only changed the subject and put the thought out of her mind. She stirred the soup mindlessly as she stared out into space.  
  
***Elsewhere***  
  
No need for lights, nothing had moved in the last few years. Just the same as it was then... That day... That day when everything changed.  
  
He left his bag in the hall and a trail of clothes behind him to his bedroom. He grabbed a clean pair of black shorts from the drawer and entered the bathroom.He was tired and sore, but the thought that came to his mind hours ago would not let him rest. He turned on the tap and let it run. The water splashing over the plastic bottom of the extra deep tub. He tossed his shorts on the closed seat cover of the toilet, one of the only places to put anything because there was no counter. And a towel he tossed on the floor. The water bubbled and gurgled as he turned it off. The tap still dripping as he stepped into the water and eased himself down. Finally adjusting to the warmth on his cold skin, he let his head sink below the tiny waves; feeling the hot water prick and tingle his scalp. He ran a hand through this back mop and surfaced again for air.  
  
He could remember when he was smaller and the tub used to scare him. This big, deep, dark pool of water that could hide anything. Though the only things he ever did find when he finally got in was a yellow rubber duck and the melted bar of soap. Now that he was older and bigger it was a welcoming release from his frustrating life, if only for a moment. He could forget his hatred and anger and float lifeless in the warm water that covered every inch of his body.  
  
It soothed his aching feet, which he never noticed were hurting. His knees and legs didn't seem to know what to do with them selves, being released from the demand of holding up their owner. His stomach and chest were wrapped in a warm, soft hug that never seemed to end. His arms floated limply by his side for a moment before stretching out on their own in either direction before bumping into the sides of the tub. Dark hair fanned out in a bleak halo around his head. His face was the only thing above the water line, and then only because he was a mammal and found it difficult to breath under water like a fish.  
  
His eyes half open as he sunk below the water, letting it envelop him. The ceiling blurred through the veil of water. He could stay there... Just for a few seconds he could be weightless, helpless, powerless.... free...  
  
But the need to survive is strong in everyone; stronger in those who have set a high goal for themselves and wagered their lives on it. The urge to move forward, to push on, to keep going toward that unreachable goal like a tree so tall you can't see the tops. Even when there are no more branches to climb, and no more hills high enough. You keep reaching up with your hand out stretched, just that extra inch, bringing you closer, making you feel warmer and making you want more. Thirst for it, hunger for it, ache for it, kill for it..... that light.  
  
That tiny speck of light so far in the distance that it is barely a twinkle when it reaches you, and that in truth, might not even exist anymore. It can be blinding. Like a searing light you can't turn away from. You become a moth drawn to its flame. It burns you the closer you get and you pull away from the pain. But you go back again and again, blinded each time to the suffering you put yourself through. Till finally the heat becomes too much and we fall.  
  
Fall from the tree, fall from the top of the hill. Down, down, down into the dark, into the cold where we fear to open our eyes, afraid of what we might see, of what we might become. We land hard; knocking the wind from us. Unable to move, looking up into the night, into the dark tree tops in search of our beloved light. That little flicker of hope that keeps us going for so long. We look but we can't see... Its too dark, becoming darker still... The ground is crawling, creatures around you are inching, slithering, sliding, scurrying, scampering, clawing... ripping... Tearing!  
  
Dark eyes gnaw at you, smiles of blood-drenched fangs wink at you. But still you look up. At the place where your little flickering dream once was, your addictive, pain-wrenched dream that kept you captivated for so long. Hurts you so badly, but you still want it, you need it.. Maybe it's a reaction to its presence not being there any more. Or habit of simply always reaching. Whatever it is, your fingers twitch, your hand moves... And slowly but surly your arm stretches sky ward. Reaching out into the black nothingness that you have coated you lonely heart in. Reaching for that small burning dream that hurts so much... But somehow can 't live without....  
  
Finally Sasuke breached the surface of the water. Reaching out for the soap and facecloth that sit on the ledge next to him. He works it into a fine lather and begins to wash off the dirt and sweat.  
  
***  
  
end ch8  
  
Float for a moment 


	9. Cookie Bits

Chapter 1 I got %80  
  
ch2 I got %28..  
  
Something went screwy with Cisco...  
  
Correction...  
  
CISCO IS FUCKED! (Course I'm taking in school)  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
I don't believe reviews are something authors should ask for from their work. I believe that reviews are rewards given to someone who really deserves it. If you feel something deserves a review, THEN leave one! Not because they said, 'Review or I won't finish this!' I never review those. That's just a selfish author. Now let me explain why I ask for reviews...  
  
My reviews have been becoming less and less, I noticed, as I keep going. I'm not sure if that's because school went back in and no one has any more free time. (I know that feeling.) Or if there's not enough fluff yet (because I know most you guys want more of that). Or you feel you've already expressed your feelings and are just patiently waiting for more. (I do that to sometimes... Ok a lot of the time.)  
  
But I'm not sure if it's my work, or everyone is suddenly busy with school. I want criticism! I need you to tell me what's wrong, or what's right! I'M NOT OFFENDED BY PEOPLES OPINIONS OF MY WORK! Good or bad! I won't bite your heads off.  
  
Doesn't mean if you still wanna still leave, 'praise you oh great one!' reviews, I accept those just as happily!  
  
MORE ON THE PLOT:  
  
Next chapter is a dream, so be prepared.  
  
Chapter 9  
Cookie bits  
  
*Splash, splash, splash*  
  
Rain spattered at his toes as the youth stood in the silhouette of his open door. Closing it he limped around the kitchen table, trying to get the stinging, pricking feeling out of his leg. The clock on the wall clicked the seconds away as it reached 5am. He had slept longer then he had in the past week, but the dreams were getting worse. more real.  
  
His ankle was now red and numb to touch. He wanted to go for a walk, a run, anything to get him out of the house and into the open, but the winds and rains were as relentless as ever and proved to be too much for him. He also knew that if he were to go out and get sick it would be even worse with the stupid dreams.  
  
There was no meeting that day, he could tell that without being told. But he wanted to see his teammates, the few comrades he had. Someone to pester and annoy, so he wouldn't feel so alone. He could ask Sakura out again. 'Ya never know, someday she's gotta give up and say yes!' he thought. 'Maybe I'll beat Sasuke in training practice too. Came close last time'...  
  
'Wait...'  
  
'Maybe if I exhaust myself then I'll be too tired to dream! Ya, that's it!!' And with that in mind, the storm that raged outside the thin walls of his apartment building was ignored. Watching the rain and wind wasn't going to do anything but make him sleepy.  
  
So the rest of the day was spent with persistent pushups and sit-ups and chakra control training. He ate breakfast around seven a.m. when he couldn't ignore the grumbling of his stomach anymore. Then he did all the dishes, made his bed, swept the floors, and cleaned up anything else he could find. He even moved the bed and sofa and cleaned under there. He ate again at noon when all the cleaning was completed.  
  
The storm outside threw paper and mud against the windows making it very difficult to see anything. Not that it mattered, only gave him more incentive to get back to training. But even after another eight hours of being stuck in his house, doing training exercises, the youthful blond still didn't feel it was enough to allow him a dreamless sleep. So he ate supper and played with the radio on the counter till it managed to pick up a half decent station with some good tunes.  
  
He half-heartedly hummed the songs aloud as he, for once, cooked something other then ramen. An hour and a half later he was seated on his bed with an old scroll of ninja technique from his days at the academy, and a plate of hot cinnamon cookies on the night table.  
  
Naruto read the scroll over as he bit into another fresh cookie. The dough still hot, he rolled it around his mouth and sucked air into his lungs quickly to cool it off enough not to burn him. He didn't often cook something other then ramen for his own pleasure. He really didn't need to. Ramen was cheap, tasted good and was easy. No preparing, no planning, and a quick clean up. He could survive on it for weeks at a time if needed, without the craving for other foods. Besides, Naruto had a horrible sweet tooth when it came right down to it. The three dozen cookies he'd just made hadn't been cool enough to touch for more then ten minutes and he had already eaten about five. And he sincerely felt he was pacing himself.  
  
Re-reading his old school notes took up a few more hours of his time; till he noticed the winds had changed. The rain had stopped beating against the windows, and everything was calm, quiet. He put his old scrolls away in the closet and the rest of the cookies in the teddy bear cookie jar next to the fridge. Getting dressed in black pants and a gray shirt he locked the door behind him as he left to train in the forest for the rest of the night.  
  
~*~*~*7:00am*~*~*~*~  
  
*yawn*  
  
Sasuke watched the blond sit and wait at the bridge again. He was there at his usual time and again Naruto was there before him...'he didn't sleep again last night..' his mind told him.  
  
"Morning SASUKE!" came the near-scream welcoming that brought him from his thoughts.  
  
'But he always has energy!' Sasuke shook his head and joined his teammate on the bridge. "Hn"  
  
"And you're just as pleasant as ever."  
  
"And you're just as annoying as ever."  
  
Sasuke glared at Naruto, and Naruto glared right back. Anyone passing by would have felt an intense hatred, strong enough to make them turn tail and run. Naruto glared at Sasuke with all the dirty-look power his tired eyes could muster.  
  
'There's got to be a reason for those stupid dreams. Maybe I should ask Sakura? ... Hell no!' Naruto thought turning away and frowning to himself. 'Bad enough the other night... I don't wanna tell her I'm afraid of dreams. Maybe I'll ask Kakashi later if it happens again... Maybe it's a Ninjutsu someone is using on me? At least I know he won't go blabbing to Mr. Perfect here. OH ya! I was glaring at him! ... Oops... '  
  
"You're not worth a fight this early in the morning!" the blond declared. Sasuke ignored him and leaned against the post.  
  
'He's starting to show fatigue.' He tumbled some thoughts about in his head. 'Stupid, should ask for help when he needs it. Baka!'  
  
"Morning Sasuke-kun!" came another way to cheery voice which he chose to ignore.  
  
'Sasuke-kun AND Naruto are here early.'  
  
"Morning Sakura!!" Naruto said.  
  
"Hey..."  
  
And so the trio waited like they usually did every morning for their forever-late teacher to arrive.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Garbage, garbage, garbage! Eck! It should be a law that all garbage cans have snap lids so when it blows the garbage will stay in the cans!" exclaimed Sakura as she tried to kick off some wet paper that had latched onto the bottom of her shoe.  
  
'That's so dumb...' Sasuke thought poking at another couple of pieces of unmentionable garbage that littered the sidewalk. 'But true.'  
  
The mission for the day had been to help clean up the village. The storm, while it didn't do a lot of physical damage to any of the buildings, did knock down many trees and just caused an over all big mess to clean up. They spent hours cleaning up garbage, and helping remove trees before they stopped for a rest in the shade of an undamaged tree in the village park.  
  
The sun was burning hot and without a breath of wind to aid those who worked to restore the village back to its former glory. It seemed unreal for it to have been blowing so hard, without a ray of sunlight the day before and now just the opposite. It made nature itself seem off balance. There was the odd bird that fluttered by, but not so much as a chirp was heard the whole day. For Naruto everything added to the hazy feeling that wrapped around him. A long day, that's what it felt like, a very long day, that was still far from over.  
  
"... live next to the beach so I'm going to practice some water Ninjutsus. Well after I go swimming. It's been so long since I've seen them, I can't remember what they look like. I know Nanna wears glasses, but I'm not sure about Uncle... He might now a' days...." Sakura's voice interrupted his zone out and brought him back to reality. She was in the middle of telling them where she and her family were going for the holiday. Some uncle she had somewhere had a house near water, or something like that, was what he gathered from it all.  
  
'That's her plans.' he turned and looked at the last member of his team. 'Ya. He's going training somewhere for the week. Some old Uchiha clan training ground on the other side of the mountains. Place's supposed to be so well hidden, most Jounins can't find it unless they know where to go.... lucky bastard.' Naruto himself had no plans. Well nothing other then the usual. Train, train and more training. He was almost positive everyone else he knew had something to do or somewhere to go. Even Iruka was going to be away for the week. He was taking his new class on a field trip to the Rock Country. Naruto smiled to himself as he thought about Iruka's new class. They were going to be a handful. He knew this from experience; after all he had trained those kids himself! His own private entourage! The Konohamaru Corp!  
  
"Coming dope?"  
  
The statement made him open his eyes. A dark, blurry figure stood half way across the park. It seemed to be referring to him. The blond glanced out of the corner of his eye to where Sakura and Sasuke had been sitting and found it empty. His eyes moved back to the now clearer figured half way across the park. It was Sasuke and Sakura heading back toward the center of the village. He yawned and stretched as he stood and followed. He had almost fallen asleep. He had to be careful.  
  
*~*~**Sasuke's Point of View~*~*~*  
  
Sasuke stood ready to leave after Kakashi appeared and instructed them to help with the clean up on main street. Sakura ran ahead of him eager to get the job done and over with as soon as possible. There was only one more day left before Saturday. The official, first day of the holiday. He himself was heading out for the full week. A cabin far off on the other side of the mountain hidden from sight was his destination.  
  
He had gone there a few times when he was smaller. He knew the rumors around the village for a long time now, said it was a secret training ground for the Uchiha clan. And they were just that.  
  
Rumors.  
  
There was nothing there to find other then an old log cabin, out-house, and maybe an old tree stump with a few good hits on it. Nothing there was special to train the mind, or sharpen the senses of the ninja. It was just another small release from his tormented mind. The only thing that could be found up there in the way of something to train with was the silence. Complete, and utter isolation from the rest of humanity. Perfect for the concentration needed to work on developing skills.  
  
He was half way across the park when he turned around. Naruto sat leaning against the old tree eyes closed. The raven-haired youth was tempted to leave him there, but they had a mission to complete. 'Even if it is only picking up garbage.'  
  
"Comin' dope?" he called. The blond blinked and looked at him a moment before standing and walking over to join them.  
  
*~*~**~*~*~*~**~ *~*  
  
"Ahh! That was good!" exclaimed Naruto after he cleaned off his third bowl of ramen.  
  
"How can you tell? None of it was in your mouth long enough to taste it." Sakura mumbled as she took another bit of hers. Team seven had spent the rest of the day in different areas of town picking up trash. All three were tired and smelly. Kakashi had treated them to ramen once the mission had been completed.  
  
Naruto watched his sensei out of the corner of his eye for a moment before turning back to his empty dish. 'Na, I should be good tonight.' he thought.  
  
The sky outside was darkening rapidly as the four exited the ramen bar and started off for home. Kakashi vanished somewhere along the way as they walked. Sakura waved goodbye to them as she entered her house leaving the two young Shinobi to walk alone, in the dark.  
  
'The stars sure are bright tonight.' the blond thought to himself. The black canvas of the sky appeared as if someone had taken an over absorbed paint brush and flung it at the darkness. Splattering the shimmering lights in a streak across the night.  
  
He paused a moment as he was overwhelmed by a yawn. 'God I'm so damn tired!' he rubbed his eyes, whipping away the tears that formed as he watched the colored lights dance on the inside of his eyelids, like a melted firework display on mute.  
  
Sasuke turned his head and watched his teammate yawn and wipe the tired tears from his eyes. He was then suddenly stuck himself with the need to yawn, but suppressed it. 'Why is that so damn contagious?!'  
  
"Hey Dumb-shit." the comment rolled of his tongue before he could pause to think about it. 'I must be been more tired then I thought.'  
  
"What piss-hole?" Naruto answered with another lazy yawn.  
  
"Something wrong with you?"  
  
"Nothing I can't handle."  
  
They continued walking till they got the fork in the road, leading each to their homes, on opposite sides of the village. Each going their own way, without a word or a glance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
'Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleeeeeeeeep...' Naruto's mind was set on one thing. Well two things really. His bed, and his pillow. Too tired to even think about a shower he just pulled his clothes off, pulled his fuzzy pj's on and crawled under the sheets and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.  
  
*~*~**~*~*  
  
Step, step, step, step, turn.  
  
step, step, step, step, turn...  
  
And so on, and so on, and so on.....  
  
End Ch9  
  
Cookie bits 


	10. Dream 2 first half

*tackle glomps all her reviewers* THANK YOU!!   
  
Bishiehuggler: Yep! Still alive and kicking!   
  
KAWAIIROXY: I had to end it there so it'll piss everyone off lol j/k ;)   
  
Morien Alexander : yay! *hugs*   
  
Red Rose : I don't know, but chocolate chip are used so much I had to think of another kind :P   
  
shadypony: I know how you feel. Some times its days before I get to reviewing anything.   
  
Ailetoile: I got your seal of approval!! YAY! Oh look! Another update too!   
  
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baki-chan: thanks for the compliments! You rock!   
  
Grey : I wrote you, hope you got it ?   
  
:D : He should I know. Maybe he will ;)   
  
Muchacha : I'm really trying not to rush the romance thing but its so hard!   
  
Anime Freak/Kichigai Ojousan : *hug* YAY!   
  
Saori-Hime : have a nap then, couse you might not after this chapter 0.o   
  
p-chan : here's that update!   
  
firedraygon97 : He's gonna need a lot of sleep when I get done with him.   
  
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Beta 4 Hire : Updating!! Updating!!   
  
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Kitty-Chan, UchiNaru no Miko : thanks for the invite but I'm a college girl, in my last year too. ( thank god!)   
  
Jazzy : lol, its ok. More on the way!   
  
Evil Vampire Lady : Thanks, and I will finish this story! You can count on that! And not offended at all. I'm not complaining about reviews, please don't think that! All my reviewers are great people and I feel extremely special that they choose to leave reviews. I'm only asking because I know some people out there might see something (like a plot hole) or spelling, or they might not understand something I wrote (like ch7) and want to tell me but are afraid that I'll flip out and start yelling at them for flaming or something. I just want everyone who reads my fics not to be afraid or ashamed to tell me what they think. There are no stupid questions, just people to stupid to ask questions in the first place. ?   
Umm, please don't take that long reply as an insult, I just wanted to explain to everyone why I asked for feedback. ^_^   
  
Note: Oh and I had this chapter per-written long ago, that's why it's out so fast. And the comic is updating again! Go check it out! movingclosets.keenspace.com   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Warning Dream sequence.   
  
Ch 10 Dream 2 ½   
  
  
  
  
  
Step, step, step, step turn.   
  
Step, step, step, step turn.   
  
Step, step, step, step turn.   
  
Step, step, step, step turn… and so on and so on. There was nothing else to do anyway. His red eyes peered out of the bars of his small cage at the far wall. The smell of blood and rotting flesh hung heavy in the air.   
  
He tried again, but to no avail to bite through the steel bars of his prison. His teeth already worn down horribly due to the amount of time he had spent trying to escape. After a few minutes he gave up and returned to his pacing.   
  
He would give anything to be out of that cursed cage and out in the forest again. It had been so long since he had been captured and brought here that his memory had begun to fade about the outside world from where he had come. All he knew was that it was better then here.   
  
The door at the end of the building opened suddenly, and three figures walked in. They moved down the walkway between the cages, looking at the other animals. The fox backed into the farthest corner in an attempt to stay out of sight. They moved closer and the voices became clear.   
  
"No offence Frank, but they look a little scrawnier than last year's." A woman's voice sounded, loud and clear, through the building. The woman who spoke wore a long fur coat that almost reached the floor. The smell of death hung around her like a bad aura, not that her own was much nicer. Her chocolate hair was twisted into curls lay softly on her shoulders. From her stature and attitude she thought quite highly of herself. Her heels made a click, click sound as she walked across the cement floor.   
  
The other man didn't seem to even want to be there. His hands in his pockets he simply followed the other two. His ghostly white eyes scanning the cages and surroundings; his face showing no signs of emotion.   
  
The three moved closer to his cage. A low hiss began to escape from his throat. The furred woman turned and stood in front of his cage. He hissed louder in an effort to scare her off, but it didn't work.   
  
"Is this one new?" she asked, "I don't believe it was here last year."   
  
"Yes it is madam. We caught it last year and keep it in solitude to make sure it didn't have anything that could contaminate the rest of the stock. We just moved it here two months ago." It was the man she had referred to as Frank who answered. He was taller then both the man and woman, and his face was unreadable. Not that he showed no expression, it was that it always seemed to be hidden by the shadows even when standing in the light.   
  
"Its coat is beautiful!" the woman pulled a fan from under the layers of dead fox skins and shoved it through the bars at the fox. He jumped and dodged the fan as best he could in the confined space. She laughed at his pathetic attempt and poked him in the side painfully. He hissed and closed his jaws on the fan and ripped it from her grasp, pulling it inside the cage out of her reach and proceeded to rip it to pieces.   
  
"AHH! My fan! That stupid little bastard!" She made the mistake of grasping on of the bars of his cage and shaking it. The fox took advantage of having her fingers within easy reach and made a snap for them, but the man had seen him move before he could finish the action. The man kicked the cage stand hard, throwing off the little fox's footing and his jaws closed on air. He jumped up as fast as he could and threw himself at the bars. His claw reaching out through the steal bars, but the woman was now out of his reach.   
  
"That damn thing! You should have shot it when you first got your hands on it Frank!" The stuck-up woman smoothed out her coat, cursing the fox who ripped up her fan. Then she smiled and looked up at the tall man. "Your furs aren't as good as they were last year, so I won't be buying a new coat from you. But I will take a hat." The three of them walked back out the way they came into the orange field of fall weather.   
  
  
~*~   
  
  
Step, step, step, step turn.   
  
Step, step, step, step turn.   
  
Step, step, step, step turn, and so on, and so on… the fox passed the cage again. The remains of the paper fan in tiny pieces under his feet. It had been three days since the incident with the furred woman and he could not shake this ominous feeling that something was wrong. The man had entered the barn earlier that morning and taken one of the large knives from the wall and was now sitting on a wooden stump just outside the open door.   
  
A grinding sound could be heard every couple of seconds, as a sharpening stone was moved over the blade. Maybe that was why he was so anxious today. Whenever the man would do this action, foxes would be taken from their cages and never seen again. He finally stopped pacing and laid down. No point in worrying, he could do nothing about it. After a few minutes he drifted off into a restless sleep.   
  
He was jolted awake as a firm hand gripped the back of his neck and lifted him into the air. He hissed and snapped at his handler, only to be shaken into submission. He watched helplessly as he was taken out of his cage, brought down the hall passed the other caged foxes, and out the door into the October sun. He winced, not accustomed to the light after so long of being in a cage. He was taken to another building a few yards away where his heart stopped with horror.   
  
The smell of blood and death overwhelmed him. He struggled frantically to get away despite the strong gloved hand that held him fast. The cement floor was stained with dried blood and clumps of fur drifted around in the breeze before the door was shut. Tools and instruments covered the walls and shelves around the room. The fox had no idea what they were used for, but he had a horrible feeling he was somehow going to find out.   
  
Fox skins hung nailed to the walls like some sick holiday decorations. Skin stretched beyond normal lengths morphing the features of the creatures' faces, making the eye holes long and thin; snouts flat and wide. Only by the reddish coloration of the fur could they be identified as fox pelts. An assortment of heads lined one of the shelves on the wall, displaying different ways to properly skin, stuff and mount the small heads. Flies drifted slowly up and down the window panes in a futile effort to escape. Their fallen comrade's bodies dotted the window ledge, dried and hallow.   
  
He swung his body up and twisted round as far as he could reach and managed to dig his back claws into the man's arm. A loud curse slipped threw his lips. The grip loosened enough and the fox wrenched himself free, landed on all fours and bolted for the farthest corner of the room. He glanced around for an exit from this house of horrors, but there was no way out.   
  
"You're more trouble then you're worth!" exclaimed the man, examining his arm and reaching for a small net on the wall to toss over the creature.   
  
  
~*~   
  
  
The fox dangled upside down, helpless. His hind legs tied to a chain that was lowered from the ceiling. His front legs were bound and strong tape around his snout kept him from biting. But it didn't mean he couldn't still growl, which he did as he watched the man re-enter the room after leaving to bandage his arm.   
  
He approached as the fox struggled helplessly. A swift flash of steel, and in one motion the knife was brought up to its exposed stomach where it punctured the flesh, slit him open from belly button to the edge of the tape on his snout. Blood splattered and dripped onto the stained floor below.   
  
"You're more trouble then you're worth." said the man as he proceeded to skin the helpless fox alive.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naruto lay there frozen in a cold sweat. He didn't want to move, he feared the pain might increase if he moved. He lay motionless in bed; his whole body tingled as if it had been dunked in scalding hot water.   
  
The alarm clock suddenly came to life next to his bed with a loud screech. His heart leaped up into his throat, but still he refused to move. Letting it ring till it finally stopped ten minutes later. The room around him slowly became lighter and the day began outside his apartment.   
  
Finally he summoned up enough courage to try and get out of bed. Naruto placed his trembling legs on the floor, stumbled into his bathroom and got into the shower. The water was came out ice cold, in an effort to stop the burning sensation as he tried to start his morning routine. He picked up the washcloth from the bottom of the tub and held it as he stood under the cold spray. His hands trembling slightly, the simple stained cloth was too heavy to do much else with. After a minute or two he let it slip from his fingers and it fell back to its original location on the tub floor.   
  
He kept his eyes closed, refusing to look at his burning skin. He didn't want to know what he looked like. The memory of the pain from his leg still lingered fresh in his memory. Finally he gave up and called himself clean. Exiting from the shower, he came face to face with his misty features in the bathroom mirror. He stared at it for a moment, the blond and peach blob looked back at him; then he reached up and made a quick swipe with his fingers. His blue eyes stared back at him through the misted glass. He breathed a sigh of relief and whipped off the rest of the mirror. Naruto smiled.   
  
"I'm ok." he sighed and immediately took back the words. The mirror reflected a dark red, vertical line on his chest. It looked like a pen line but it was deeper and it reached from his belly button to the underside of his chin...   
  
Now he decided he needed to talk to someone.   
  
End Dream ½ of 2 


	11. job opening

My beta reader is still without a computer, so correcting my spelling and grammar is difficult at best.  
  
Sooooooo.....  
  
Any taker for the job till she gets her computer??  
  
JadeTiger 


	12. Long walk

Oops!! Hehehe.. sorry about that ^.^' Umm kind of tried to take a short cut and just save the correction version from my new beta reader(Silver kun Thanks!) and just saved it as HTML format.. Hehehe guess that didn't work ^_^' (13th chapter, hey something had to go wrong right?)

Thank you everyone who replied to my request for a beta reader! It makes my heart feel all warm inside knowing you al care so much!! (or are just tired of waiting, lol)

*Is plowed over with the amount of reviews* Ack!! 

Thank you to reviewers of ch11;

Kami Beverly,Red Rose,

Gackt no Hime (I got yours twice :D),

Miko,Natareikura (I'm assuming you really must have been referring to the pervious chapter with the 'cute' comment, lol),

sawdust monster, 

Pinky Cat(-- LOOK! There you are! :D),

 Evil Vampire Lady(I did but the messed up my subscription),

 Beta 4 Hire, hanako, 

Yami no Tenshi ("the water came out ice cold, in an effort to stop the burning sensation, as he tried to start his morning routine". Grammar was never my strongest point, thanks for pointing that out!),

 KAWAIIROXY, CatC10, Anime Freak/Kichigai Ojousan, Iceheart19, 

 TheSeer(another reason why I got a beta reader, spell-check says its right then I say close enough for me, lol. ya I did mean revealed), 

tokilltheshadows, Foxgrl, Saori-Hime,

 Chibi Neko-chan3 (Yes actually, just the kind of review I was looking for. Ya I know I need to watch the Grammar and spelling, You are right about the wording as well. Sometimes I do need to go back over it and make it more detailed, but get so tired of looking at it I call it done and go on to something else. But I also don't want to make it so people have to have a dictionary within arms reach either. But you are right. I do need to elaborate on the wording.), 

Babel121 (thank you! your English is very good! better then my French anyway :D)

 :D (no idea about foxes, but I know it was done with baby seals up north..*Shivers*), Silver Neo (your the 200th reviewer!! I sent you an email hope you wrote back!), TasukiNoBaka, Japime gurl, Melissa, Elie,

 Kazumi (Here's the 11th chapter! no worries! Its justff.net messed up on me a little a while ago and I haven't been able to fix that yet... ),

 raikiri, rice_pudding, E-chan5, kate tully, Seraphina DW, Skye Dragon,Kaelas, mroku, Alena, Mistress Arts, Luna, Namesake, 

jazzy (my stomach was twisting writing it...), 

DarkPheonix365 (*blushes* thank you),HieiTheLostSou, Yugi-obsessed, eyes0nme19, SilverKnight7, Naruto and Sasuke's Tenshi, chibi-chan! 

Substituent (oops! Lol I completely forgot about that! No offence taken, thanks for telling me or I would have never noticed I did that!)

*Bows at all your feet's*… I am not worthy….. 

Apologies: I was planning to have this out before Christmas but as you can see that didn't happen. So here it is now, but not as long as I wanted it to be.. I had to go look over my plot again and see what I missed. This chapter is also not up to my personal qualifications… but I can't seem to get into it, but its better I've update with what I got rather then letting it rot away..

MORE ON THE PLOT!!:

That last chapter was only half a dream see the alarm clock went off before he could finish it. So people, be warned when he falls asleep again … it isn't going to be pretty.(at least I wrote that when I was in the mood.) But it is going to be a few more chapters before that happens, and chapter titles will be named to, indicated. Hopefully the new chapter will be up sooner then this was.

Chapter 11

            Long walk.

'It's been a few days since Sasuke-kun and I have had time alone. Usually Naruto is here being annoying, but this morning it's just me and him.' The pink hair ninja thought to herself as she stood waiting for their sensei and Naruto to arrive. Thanks to the amazing work form all the ninja in the village the day before the damage from the hurricane was now almost completely gone. Only the oddly deformed garbage cans and plastic bag stuck high on tree branches were left to remove. The warm breeze washed over the two students waiting at the bridge scented of flowers and sawdust. 

Sakura looked over at her teammate and long time crush Sasuke as he stood motionless, eyes closed as they waited. Maybe she could chat with Sasuke for a while sense Naruto was taking his time this morning. She then rolled some ideas of conversation topics around in her mind before speaking. 

"Hey Sasuke." He opened one eye in her direction and waited for her to continue. "See any good movies lately?"

The sudden urge to slap herself was almost to much to refuse. 'First chance I get to sit and chat with Sasuke and all I can ask him is, 'seen any good movies lately?!' Why the hell didn't I just ask him about the weather?!? What the hell is my problem!! I use to be really good at this.' Sakura sighed as Sasuke closed his one eye and went back to waiting.  The sun rose soon silently in the horizon, as the two team members waited for their number to increase by one, and for their teacher to arrive.   

*POOF!* 

"YOU'RE!!!.... not Kakashi–sensei.." Sakura's ritual morning accusation was cut short as the smoke cleared to reveal a green-spandex wearing man with thick eyebrows. He grinned spread from ear to ear hiding most of his face…except the eyebrows.

"And it's a good thing I'm not too! I'm much better looking and stronger too! Ha ha ha ha ha!!" he laughed heartily for a moment before he was interrupted by Sasuke.

"Gai Sensei, why are you here?"

The older man snapped his fingers and puller out a piece of paper. "That's right! The Hokage asked me to come tell you all that Kakashi is gone on a mission and won't be back till after the holidays. So you'll all get off early!" The man then entered into another healthy bout of laughter, before realizing something, "Hey aren't you a man short?"

"Naruto isn't here yet." Sakura informed the green ninja turning and looking in the direction the loud blond usually came.

Guy scratched his head a moment then shrugged and turned to one of the post next to him on the small red bridge. "Alright then I'll just tack this here. He'll see it when he comes. Bye!" 

*Poof.* And in a whirl of smoke he was gone again.

Sasuke turned and started to walk away. Morning sunlight casting his shadow on the ground in front of him, dancing on his feet. 

"Sasuke…"

"Have fun. See you in a week." He waved without looking back at her.

His eyes turn to the sky where the suns warm rays caressed his face. 'Dope must have slept in.' he though as he headed home to grab his pack and head out to camp early.

~*~*~*~*~*one hour later*~*~*~*~*~*~

A passing breeze rustles the white paper tacked to the post, as a pair of tired blue eyes reads and re-reads the scribbled words over and over again trying to make sense of it.  Slowly he mumbles to works out loud to himself, his lips dry and cracked moved slowly as his voice reached his ears, "Kakashi sensei… has been assigned to a mission for the week… all training has been canceled till further notice…?"

"… Canceled…."

"… Canceled till further notice?"

Naruto once again rolled that information around his head. He knew, he knew what that meant, but it wasn't clicking for some reason. Does that mean their gone somewhere? Why wasn't Sakura or Sasuke there to meet him? Where did they go?

 '…next to the beach so I'm going to practice some water Ninjutsus. Well after I go swimming. It's been so long since I've seen them, I can't remember what they….'

'That's right, Sakura was going to visit family… and Sasuke was going camping… but that doesn't explain why they're not here!!'  Suddenly it clicked. No one is here because someone had come and told the others Kakashi wasn't going to be here today so they left. But wait! He was here late today, so how long had everyone been gone? Did he just miss them or are they still in the village?! Maybe he could still catch one of them if he hurried.

Turning he bolted in the direction of Sakura's house. Down the street he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. People were just blurs, and words were lost in the wind that swept by his ears. He slowed and came to a stop on her doorstep and peeked threw the window, only to see his tired looking reflection looking at him. She has gone. His shadow hung on the white door as he stood there silently. Inside his mind was screaming at him from every direction. Finally chousing a voice he turned away, biting his lip and ran down another street heading cross-town. Ignoring the world around he flew up the stairs and hammered on the door before halting and thinking about what he would say.

'Hey Sasuke I'm having bad dreams. Can you help?' ya right. That would earn him a queer look and the door slammed in his face. But he had no chance to think of something so he just waited for the door to open. And he waited. Then knocked louder. And waited… he knocked again, feeling the tightness in his throat increase along with his heart rate. Sasuke wasn't answering the door. He was gone.

His feet moved his body back down the hall, down the stairs and out the apartment doors. Kakashi was gone, Sasuke was gone, Iruka, Konnohamaru, and Sakura were gone. Cool air ruffled his hair Naruto realized where he was. The bridge stood cold and empty like it had half an hour ago.

Wind blew the leaves around his feet as he looked around him. Finally the words escaped his lips, 

"I'm alone."

Enc chapter 11

            Long walk…


	13. sorry

I'm sorry, I'll be back as soon as I can. 


	14. Running in circles

Ok I'm back finally. I really don't want to explain here why I've been out of the loop, so I'll direct everyone to my Deviant Art site, under 'JadeTiger'.

To everyone who has reviewed my story, I thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Chapter 12

Running in circles.

"Ok, ok... I can handle this," Naruto mumbled, shaking his head to himself as he walked down the warm sunny streets. The citizens of Konoha had been up and going about their daily routines for a while now. People chatted with friends and relatives as kids ran in circles around them screaming. The smell of baked goods and fresh cut fruit surrounded him as birds sang in the trees, but the blond was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice much of the beauty. He had been wandering up and down the crowded market streets for what seemed like hours shaking his head and deciding to make the most of this new day.

'I remember reading.. or hearing somewhere that what you experience in a day can have an effect on your dreams. So maybe if I just try and have a good day, and be positive, the dreams will end.' Naruto thought with a smile as he changed direction and headed to the noodle bar for the first step in his 'have-a-good-day-to-sleep-better' plan.

The old man smiled at Naruto when he turned around and saw his number one customer once again waiting impatiently to have his order taken. The blond prodigy sat and ate till he felt he was going to explode.

After recovering enough to move under his own power he went off into the forest for some lazy training. He knew it wasn't good to train hard on a full stomach; he had learned that the hard way long ago when he ended up with cramps and couldn't move for the rest of the day, so this time Naruto decided it was probably best to just stick to some target training and simple low level chakra exercises.

Slowly the hours slid by and the fullness in his stomach vanished leaving him hungry again. His feet walked him away from the training ground and back to the village streets still full of people buying and selling goods and services. Finally he opened the door to his little apartment and walked in. He tossed his weapon holder onto the counter and raided the fridge for leftovers. A baloney sandwich and a hand full of cookies later he was out on the sunny street again to enjoy the rest of the beautiful day.

He walked blindly through the crowds of people till his feet touched the white marble stone of a step. The sign at the top of the white steps proclaimed in large black letters, 'Library'.

'Well it wouldn't hurt to take a look I guess.. maybe I'll find ...something.' he thought. Removing his hands from his pockets, he climbed the steps and entered the building.

The old library was a place that Naruto rarely visited out of his own free will. Perhaps it was because every other time he'd been forced into the place, it was for a school field trip. Those times had always been nothing but hours filled with looking up historical facts about this and that and everything no one in their right mind would ever care to know. The loud blond never could find anything interesting enough to keep him still for more then a few minutes at a time. It also hadn't been updated in a few years either, leaving most of the books and furniture old and tattered. The place smelled of dust and rotting paper.

The library was quiet and dark, with a few tables scattered around in corners lit by hanging ceilings lamps and surrounded with soft plush chairs. Naruto handed his library card to the women at the desk who swiped it and handed it back without moving her eyes from the cheap romance novel her nose was stuck in.

As he walked through the long rows of books and scrolls, his fingers brushed over the old paper leaving a light trail through the dust. He stopped at the far end of the book case and started to skim through the titles. After a while he held about a half dozen books on various illusion techniques, and old ninjutsu. The tired blond sat down at the farthest corner table and opened the first book.

Hours passed as the suns rays walked across the walls and floor of the building around him, but he scarcely noticed. Shadows of other people around him drifted in and out. It was only when the words on the scrolls blurred and melted together that Naruto decided it was time to take a break. Leaving the last book on the pile open so no one would touch it, he exited the library and sat on the cold marble steps. The outside light blinded him momentarily as he walked threw the open doors. The street was the same as he had left it a few hours ago; bright and full of happy people, talking and walking past. It seemed such a contrast to the quiet darkly lit building he was just in. Brushing off one of the steps of the white marble stairs, he sat down and took his meager meal from the pocket of his bright orange jacket. He was nibbling on a cookie he had brought with him, when he noticed the shadow above him.

"What are you doing here?"

"What's it to ya?" Naruto replied, finishing off the first cookie and starting another.

"Since when can you read?" Shikamaru sat down next to him and shoved his hands in his pocket.

"Shut up," the blond grumbled through a mouthful of half chewed cookie and held up the third and last cookie for his company. The other shook his head so Naruto ate it in one bite, and wiped his hands on his pants. They sat there in silence for a while, neither knowing what to say.

"Well it's as good a place as any." Shakamaru stood up stretching his arms over his head.

"Huh?"

"You done?"

"Ya.."

"Good, come on before she finds me." The boy turned and entered through the doors of the library before Naruto could blink. Quickly he scrambled to his feet and gave chase.

"What's going on Shikamaru?" he finally asked as they walked down one of the long book lane hallways toward the back of the building.

"Ino is moving across town and wants me to help carry her stuff... how troublesome."

Naruto grunted in response as he sat down in his previous chair and continued to flip through the books, while his companion sat in another chair hiding behind the growing pile of books. A few minutes passed in silence before Shikamaru asked, "What are you looking for?"

"Umm I'm not really sure," Naruto answered quietly.

"Hum."

"Well it has something to do with dreams. Like a ninjutsu that gives people bad dreams when they fall asleep."

"Never heard of such a thing. Where did you hear it?"

"Oh! Umm... I was just training the other day and the thought hit me?" 'Or rather, grabbed me by the leg, starved me to death, then drowned me, then skinned me alive,' he thought bitterly.

"How troublesome." He picked up a book opened to the first page.

"I've been through that one."

The book closed as Naruto handed him another.

"It's better then work."

Hours passed and the sun had vanished form the sky.

'I can't believe Naruto has been here most of the day reading. It's a side of him I've never seen before,' Shikamaru thought with a yawn.

"I'm heading out now, you coming?" Shikamaru closed his book and placed it in the pile they had already been through. The only light in the building came from the hanging lamps, because the sun had set hours ago. It was eerily quiet, even more so then before. No noise drifted in through the open windows or door. The only sound to be heard was the occasional flip of a page.

"I'm almost done."

"How troublesome," he commented, walking away down the long dusty halls.

"Later."

The pony tailed boy waved without looking back and vanished into the darkness.

Naruto relaxed in the soft chair and closed his eyes thinking, 'Just a second so my eyes won't hurt' as everything went black. The librarian scanned the rooms quickly and, seeing the pile of books, frowned. 'Stupid kids never put things away. Oh I'll get it in the morning.' With a flick of the lights, everything was dark and she closed the door behind her with a soft click.

End ch 12

Running in circles


	15. Dream 2 second half

Wow, this is Long over due I know!

Life has been taking chunks out of me lately. Lost my job, lost some family members, and moved and dad was diagnosed with leukemia… its been a real pain in a lot of ways I can't really begin to describe.

I wanna name and thank all those who have been reviewing my fic and keep asking for updated, but that would probably take more time then reading this chapter.

It's a little short. Just 5 pages. The original chapter I wrote was lost when I reformatted my computer. That original gave me shivers just writing it! this isn't so creepy, but I really did try my best!

Just ask my new beta reader Melanie! Everyone should really give her a BIG round of applause! Poor girl didn't know what she was getting into when she offered to beta for me! Lol. I'm horribly picky and lord knows how many times she's been over it this one chapter.

Once again I thank all my readers and reviewers for sticking with me and giving me a good yelling at when I need it. ;P your all wonderful and I'll do my best to get the next chapter out as soon as I can.

WARNING! DREAM SEQUENCE! INCLUDES VIOLENCE, GORE AND GRAPHIC TOURTURE OF ANIMALS!

Warning Dream sequence.

Ch 15

Dream 2 part 2

Ants

Pain.

….

Burning,

Smoldering,

Immobilizing.

Pain.

The fox couldn't move, his body refused to obey him because of the stabbing pain over every inch of his body. Where was he?

The lifeless corpse hardly resembled the once lively fox it had been hours before. Its pelt had been scraped off by the skilled hands and sharp knives of the man with the hidden face. His gums and lips had been removed in an effort to acquire as much as possible of the valuable fur, exposing his teeth in a gruesome grin for all to see.

It was cold where he lay. Or he believed it was cold, it might have been in flames, he really couldn't tell for sure. Such confusion over something so very, very simple. Everything just tingled with an itching pain. A faint October breeze washed over him, burning his exposed muscles with the feather light touch. The only relief is the small patches where the blood had clotted in a thin coating of dried fluids and fat, over his muscles. The fox commanded his eyes to open but they refused. His eyeballs and eyelids had been gouged out while he was being skinned alive.

His nose twitched as he sniffed the air to see where he was. The air was warm and fresh as it entered his lungs. The faint crispness of the night winds enlightened him to the fact that dusk was still hours away. Far more dominant was the copper smell of his blood as it seeped out of his exposed muscle tissue and soaked the earth around him.

Weakly he sniffed again and caught the scent of leaves, grass, fruits and other things he couldn't identify. He was lying on a pile of rotting vegetation.

'I'm outside again' was only thought that went threw him. His heart skipped a beat at the idea of finally being free, despite the fact he was now, blind, deaf, and immobile.

Then something tickled his nose, and he caught a faint scent of familiarity. Something that he had known little of before he was captured--and something that he learned more of while in captivity.

It was an ant.

He used to watch them for hours, crawling up and down the bars of his cage. Up one side and down the other he watched them, because at the time there was nothing else he could do.

Interesting little things carrying stuff here and there for reasons he couldn't understand. Once or twice he would tap one out of boredom with his paw and watch it drop its load and take a stance for a fight, antennas up and feeling the air for whatever interrupted his voyage. After a while, though, it would pick up its parcel and continue on its way, out through the bars and out of sight. The fox would sit and wait for the little folk to come back again later and take something else with them. They never took a great amount of anything that would be missed. Whether it was food from the strange rounded stone that the human would put it in or some straw from his small bed, he had let them do as they please. It had been his only source of entertainment in that forsaken pit.

The insignificant creature tickled his nose again as it crawled over it. Then he felt a pinch. Tiny at first, very weak, as if experimenting. Then it was gone. He felt the little feet crawl off his nose and away somewhere.

Everything became still again and for a while he just lay there motionless, trying as best he could to regain some strength in his limbs. 'I just need to rest a bit... just a little bit then I'll be able to move again,' he thought to himself. He was injured and tired, he knew this, but it wasn't anything time and a good meal couldn't heal. The fox would think about food later, once he was rested enough to get up and walk way.

The fox's whole body was becoming numb to the pain. Moments of lightheadedness from the massive blood loss was causing a feeling of floating… being lifted up and weightless. Then the breeze would wash over him, and the pain would return tenfold as his carcass baked in the afternoon sun. Making his mussels that much more stiff and harder to move as the coating of bodily fluids bake into a hardened crust over him.

He tried again to shift his body into a different position. Move a leg, move a paw, move a muscle or his now furless tail. Move _anything_, but nothing even flinched. The only parts of him that obeyed his mind were his lungs, bringing slow shallow breaths in and out again.

Finally he gave up and stopped trying. No matter how much his mind wanted the fox body to get up and walk away, it was no use. His body no longer listened to its mind. His body had been broken.

Then a scent. It tickled his nose and crawled up his face and pinched his cheek painfully. Then it pinched him again, and again.

Pinching, and pulling. Becoming more and more painful as pincers began to tear and rip at the flesh of his body. His little folks were back and taking full advantage of the free meal. Cutting small chunks of meat off, they began to haul him off one tiny piece at a time. Like when they used to drift around his cage and carry off bits of his bed and food, only this time he couldn't bat at them with his paw. He was at their mercy and they were showing none.

He screamed in his mind, begging his body to move and throw them off. Pincers tore and cut the flesh, making the blood run fresh again from half clotted sections of flesh. Jaws grasped and pulled the veins from his exposed muscle and tissue with no regard to the pain it caused.

Hundreds and thousands descended on his motionless corpse, tearing the raw flesh from his bones. Pincers like thousands of razors were slicing him into peaces, snipping his veins like scissors. With each slice there was a gush of blood that washed away the offending ant, but within seconds there would be a dozen more to take its place, stinging him on instinct to keep him still as they slowly killed him. But he was still. It was only his blood that continued to move, keeping him alive. Motionless but not yet lifeless.

He mentally begged them to stop but he couldn't make a sound. Cutting, slicing, ripping; he began to pray for death. Pray that something would happen to end this horrendous torture. While being skinned he had at least passed out from the pain, but it seemed that this time he was destined to experience it all, down to his last breath. The fox prayed that breath would be soon.

He could feel them crawling all over him, descending into his ear passages, scratching and scraping their way along. Sometimes getting stuck in the combination of earwax and blood, and then struggling to get out. Itching like a thousand fleas in a place you could never reach. Climbing over his eardrum with now thunderous feet before proceeding to chew it up and haul it away.

Those that ventured into his eye sockets soon found themselves drowning in the small pool of blood and the runny vitreous fluid of his eyes (the skinner having popped the fox's eye like a grape with his skinning knife earlier) that had collected there since he had been tossed outside. But unfortunately it didn't take long for the cleaver little creatures to find a way to rip pieces of the softer inner eye socket out without sacrificing their lives. They managed this by using the bodies of already drowned ants as stepping stones.

The ants crawled past his teeth and into his mouth, stomping over the raw flesh that used to be his lips, before taking up residence on his tongue and proceeding to cut off his taste buds one by one

Then his breathing suddenly became harder, as some of them moved into his nose and began pulling at the soft untouched flesh. Tearing out the tiny hairs of his nostrils to cut the skin more easily. Bit by bit the tiny hairs were excruciatingly torn from the small bit of sensitive skin he had left, the tiny drops of blood began to run together. And together they dripped down the back of his nose, down the back of his throat and into his lungs.

Suffocating him with his own blood.

Slowly the blood began to fill his lungs, coating them in the thick red substance.

It hurt, oh god it hurt. He couldn't cough, he couldn't move, he couldn't BREATHE. The torturous pain the swarms of ants caused as they disassembled his body paled in comparison to the horror of drowning in his own blood. His instincts screamed at him!

Oh god, oh god, he had no air. None, not a breath, not a gasp, not a whisper. He was going to drown in a mouthful of blood. Enough he could have licked away, had he been able to move his tongue. There was so little but it was enough to coat his lungs and stop his life. The small amount sticking like syrup down his throat.

Everything spun.. everything moved, and everything wasn't right. He had to get out, he had to get away. Jump up and run, Run, RUN! Get away, get far, far away from the danger.

He screamed! Screamed with all the strength his mind could muster. Mentally throwing himself again his broken body. Now his carcass, now his immobile prison. Like a cage slowly being lowered into cold water. He had no way out, and nothing he could do.

The lightness in his head made his stomach turn. Everything was spinning out of control, down, down into the darkness. His flesh burned from the stinging and piercing of the ant's pincers, his lungs burned from the colligating blood that made it difficult to breath.

Falling, falling out of control. Everything became clear, everything became sharp, everything hurt a thousand times more then he could imagine.

Burning,

tearing,

ripping,

piercing,

drowning.

And then, it was done.

The scream that echoed threw the library that night would have made the hair on the back of the most hardcore ninja's neck stand on end. It echoed down the long corridors of books and scrolls. Reverberated off walls and threw open windows, into open streets and down empty alleyways.

But it made no ones hair stand, nor did it send chills down anyone's spines. Because the hidden village was dark and there was no one around to hear it…

end chapter 15


	16. beta help

Ok here's what happening..

I hate to do this but it's unfair to my fans who have been waiting for me to update for a long time now. but I am not going to finish 'reflected scars;' without some help….

Ok a lot of help.

So what I'm asking is someone kind of help me co-write the next couple chapters with me.

If someone does decide to help me they also need to beta it because lord knows I can't spell to save my life.

Its gonna work like this….

I ask you what you think is gonna happen next.

I tell you you're wrong.

I tell you what happens in short form.

You tell me what needs more detail.

And we nit pick at it for a long time before giving up and posting it online to shut people up.

Sound good?

Any takers?


	17. Welcome Back

Sakura walked briskly down the street toward the bridge in the early morning

I'm not dead… though a run-in with a 150lb golden lab on Saturday did leave me with a lovely set of teeth shaped burses on my left arm.

Sorry it took so long to update but life is like that. My dad was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2005 and sense then things like 'fan fics' have been replaced with more 'quality time' activities.

Thanks you to everyone who volunteered their time and skill to get me back into this Anime in order to finally finish this.. I know there's still a LONG way to go but I know I can do it.

Thank you everyone!

Welcome Back

--

A week later Sakura walked briskly down the street toward the red bridge in the early morning light. A slight tan darkened her skin from several long hours spent in the sun playing with two new nephews that had stopped by her uncle's and aunt's during  
her week-long stay. Tiny sparkles in her ears had become her favorite keepsake  
from the sunny experience; not only were the petite scarlet stones pretty to look at, but  
each contained a tiny space ample enough to hide a grain-sized note if need be.

A sudden rainstorm the night before had washed out parts of the roads and sidewalks, leaving rocky pebble-like paths snaking between buildings. The mud left on the road was now quickly drying in the rising summer sun, alternating between sticking to her sandals and floating up in tine dusty clouds.

She was later than usual for their first meeting back, and thus was taking longer strides to make up some time. Not that it mattered all the much, because she always  
arrived a few minutes before the specified meeting time and today would be no  
different.

Shops and buildings around Sakura were slowly beginning to bubble to life.  
Movement appeared in windows and light chatter was heard as the market place was swiftly filled. Soon, all of Konoha would be up and the day would get into full swing.

Finally, the buildings begin to thin, and the red bridge came into sight as Sakura rounded the last set of wood-paneled constructions.

Her pace slowed as her vision narrowed in on the form sitting on the far side of the wooden expanse. A grimy jacket and greasy hair were combined with the familiar Konoha Ninja band hanging from the figure's neck, to jolt Sakura's memory.

_What is Naruto doing here at 7 am?_

_Why does he look like he was mauled by a bear?_

A few moments later she stood in front of him, waiting for a reaction; but he didn't move.

Didn't look up when she asked what had happened to him.

Didn't blink when she dropped to her knees in front of him.

Didn't flinch when she grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him roughly.

And only mumbled softly when she started to scream his name in a slight panic to get a reaction of some kind from him.

He knew she was there but he simply didn't have the strength to reply.

"This isn't funny, Naruto! Come on; answer me, what's wrong? What happened?" Sakura demanded as she began to examine her teammate's seemingly lifeless form.

His hands were folded across his lap and his knees were pulled up tight to his chest. Glassy eyes and small scratches were visible under the sullied mass of blond hair. Naruto's cheeks were stained crimson and his breathing seemed ragged.

Sakura brushed his hair out of the way and placed a hand on his forehead, confirming what she already suspected; Naruto was running a high fever; and by the look of him, it was days old.

"…M'fine… tired..." was about all that could be perceptible from the once hyper shinobi's lips.

_What's wrong with him? I've never seen him this out of it before._ Concentrating chakra to her fingertips, she began to wipe away the scratches and erase the burses on his face and neck. His eyes slowly drifted shut as he mindlessly leaned into the warm touch.

_I can't see him getting into a fight and getting his ass kicked this bad; he's an amazing fighter, one of the strongest. His shadow clone cancels out any chance of him being outnumbered… But he's sick… Naruto doesn't _get_ sick! Well, I mean he _can,_ he is human after all, but I've never seen it before… Man, he's burning up, I need to get him to the hospital soon. _

"Naruto, it's me. Can you tell me what's wrong? Where does it hurt?" she cupped his face with her hands and lifted his head to look him in the eyes. He blinked for a moment, seeming to finally realize she was still talking to him. He licked his lips and answered quietly.

"…My throat hurts…."

Sakura smiled at that, "Well it's probably because you have your henti too tight silly; how about we take it off for a minute?" Even as she spoke, her fingers were already untying the, surprisingly loose knot and removing the blue and steel cover. In a flash, Narutos' hands came up to cover his throat and neck, but it was too late. He knew she had seen what he had hidden so carefully beneath the blue-clothe, steel headband. Panic flooded his eyes as he watched for his female teammates reaction.

Sakura had stopped breathing. Her words caught in her own throat at the sight that was revealed. One very large handprint circled his throat. Red, yellow and purple finger outlines reached around his neck, the fingertips meeting over his windpipe. The pressure needed to be applied to human flesh to create that class of bruising, as well as the unnatural size of the print, sent a new set of warning bells of in Sakura's mind.

_He should be dead! The grip on those pressure points would crush the windpipe and cut off circulation to the brain through the arteries! But that hand… it's _so_ big. No one in Konoha has a pair of hands that size, not counting Choji's family, and they need to use their special abilities for that. _

It was the look in his eyes that finally made her move. His eyes seems almost dime and lifeless, like he was sleep walking. But the fear that reflected in them when his hands went to cover his battered throat flickered, and his pulse and breathing had quickened. Her hand began to glow a soft green as she placed them over the prints on Naruto's neck and his own protective appendages. She didn't say anything, just smiled gently and continued to push her healing power through her hands and into _his_ hands and throat. And slowly, his hands slid from his battered neck back onto his lap, allowing her hands to touch the marred flesh of his throat. His eyes slid shut and his head tilted back to rest on the post.

"…" Naruto's lips moved to form words of thanks but his voice was lost before it got past his chapped lips.

"Don't talk. Your voice box is damaged. Just keep quiet for now and tell me later, ok?" This was serious. Naruto wasn't himself. His body was injured and sick and he was tired- and Naruto wasn't _Naruto_! Sakura glanced around helplessly for her sensei or teammate. Naruto needed more help then she could provide at the moment, but she couldn't leave him like this to get someone. His stillness bothered her more then she cared to admit. He just sat there quietly while she ran her hands over his face and neck healing his wounds. The Naruto she had come to know would have been blushing (and not from a fever) and stammering senseless words in his attempt to ask her out once again, or confessing his undying lover for her… again.

But this quiet Naruto… Wasn't what Sakura wanted.

"Hey, Naruto," She started, but when no reply came she said his name again louder.

After a moment, glassy eyes opened slightly to look at her. She had his attention, or at least as much as she could get of it. He was listening.

"What do you say after the mission today we get some ramen? Would that make you feel better? My treat, but I'm not paying for more then 2 bowls…" if that didn't get a positive reaction out of the blond member of her team then she didn't know what would.

His eyes watched her for a moment and didn't move. Sakura began to wonder if he had even heard her when suddenly tears started to run down his face and in a startling movement, that threw her completely off guard, he flung himself at her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Sakura's primal basic instinct was to shove him away and beat the living daylights out of him, but a muffled hiccup and his trembling frame keep her still.

He was crying….

Naruto Uzumaki…

The orange ninja of Konoha…

Was trying to muffle his sobs on her shoulder.

" Naruto?"

Her heart was in her throat and _her_ hands began to tremble ever so slightly as she lifted them up and rubbed soothing circles in his back and mumbled soft words of safety and comfort in his ear. Sakura's fingers felt through the thin material of his jacket and ghosted over the noticeable bones of his vertebra. Her view of the red bridge post and clear blue green stream began to blur suddenly before she blinked away the tears. Now was not the time to get emotional! Later, once Naruto was better and she was sure everything was fine, she'd have herself a good little cry, and then beat the blond freak to within an inch of his life before healing him and doing it again for making her worried sick.

She looked around again for Kakashi and Sasuke.

_Where were they?_

Something was wrong with her Naruto!

--

End chapter "Welcome back"


End file.
